The Berserker: Book One
by Blitzkrieger
Summary: Leo Rock, padawan to Pong Krell has been placed under the command of Anakin Skywalker, he and Ahsoka Tano will journey together into the Clone Wars in a more in-depth look at the harshness of war, the temptations of the Dark Side and what it means to be a Jedi; Facing a growing order of Sith Acolytes the war escalates with new characters and new threats.
1. Enter the Lion

WAR RAGES ACROSS THE GALAXY, JEDI MASTER ANAKIN SKYWALKER AND AHSOKA TANO RUSH TO AID JEDI GENERAL PONG KRELL AND HIS APPRENTICE WHO HAVE BEEN BESIEGING A SEPARATIST STRONGHOLD WITH NO SUCCESS.

The open circle fleet was engaged in a brutal battle between Venator Class and Mulificient class frigates, they were blockading a small planet with the brown ground and white clouds were pressing their advantages against one another with red and blue cannon fire flying back and forth. Ahsoka and Anakin were in their Jedi Star Fighters flying faster than the droid fighters with clones behind them.

"Ahsoka stay close." Anakin ordered his padawan who circled around to get on his tail "Right behind you Skyguy."

Suddenly the middle Separatist frigate exploded from the Republic ships destroying its life support system, "General, you have your window." Admiral Yuralen said aboard the Resolute heading straight for the other two ships. The Resolutes hanger opened up allowing two dozen Republic Gunships to fly out and cut a path toward the planet below.

"Ahsoka, let's get down their General Krell needs our help." Anakin said as Ahsoka's face lit up "Yes sir, Master."

The gunships were full of clone soldiers in phase one armor, aboard the lead gunship was Arc trooper in blue stripped armor "Alright men, we got heavy skirmishes around the main base, the forward camp is guarded by General Krell and his men have been dug in for the past three months, we're going to reinforce him and smash those tenies to pieces." Captain Rex said to his men who all cheered and slapped the back of each other armor as they got battle ready.

The gunships and Jedi starfighters broke through the clouds toward the main battlefield, that was littered with Republic and Separatist forces, Heavy flak cannons started to shoot down the gunships before they took evasive action and started to make their way to the main Republic base.

General Pong Krell, a Besalisk male with brown robes and armor on each of his four forearms, two double-bladed lightsabers were at his side watching the clone troopers battle against the droid army that was in front of a massive fortress of dark iron. It was riddled with mines around the base. He looked up to see the reinforcements heading his way and barely even made note of it, "Alright Ahsoka, you ready."

"Born ready Master." Ahsoka said as the young torgurtan girl and her master leaped out of their fighters with their Astro droids flying away as Rex and the 501st got out of their gunships to reinforce the clones on the ground. Anakin and she ignited their lightsabers without a second thought when they hit the ground and headed straight for the droids front lines. Atop the battlements of the iron fortress a Separatist Commander a green-skinned alien humanoid with purple slits eyes wearing a bright red commanders uniform and cape.

"Huh, looks like they needed more Jedi after all, commander call down some cannon fire." the Separatist General commanded "Roger, Roger." the droid next to him said as the droid cannons in the back of the camp started to raise their barrels and open fire. Anakin and Ahsoka heard the eruption of artillery and looked up to see the shells heading their way, the droid army also started to pull back "Incoming, fall back, fall back!" Anakin yelled to all the forces of the Republic who started to fall back.

The ground exploded in a hail of separatist artillery fire clearing the battlefield as Anakin and Ahsoka took cover behind a downed republic walker. The cannon fire lasted for over twelve minutes till all Republic and Droid forces were off the field and back to their respective camps.

"No wonder General Krell was having such trouble with this base." Ahsoka said looking to her master for guidance "You can say that again, come on we best go see the good General and see if he has a plan." Anakin said heading back to the Republic base.

As the two Jedi and their clones walked into the base, General Krell was standing in the forward camps command center, around holotable looking t the footage of the battle that had just ended. "Master Krell good to see you."

"General, Skywalker, I would like to be addressed as such in a time of war." Pong said turning around all four arms behind his back "... of course General, I often enjoy the title myself." Anakin said confidently as Pong looked to see his padawan who smiled before she blushed seeing she hadn't presented herself formally she gave a slight bow "Ma- I mean General Krell is an honor."

"The honor is mine Commander Tano, you and your Generals exploits have reached my ear and I must say I would expect nothing less from Skywalkers pupil." Ahsoka looked up at Anakin who gave her a wink of approval "What's the situation General?" Anakin asked walking up to the command table.

"As you saw out there, this Separatist Generals fortress has been giving us some trouble, defensible on all sides, with heavy anti-aircraft cannons at the center that already gave you some trouble." Pong said to Anakin who looked at Rex "What do you think Captain?"

"Hard to say, General we-" "You expect a clone to know strategy Skywalker, you disappoint me our only hope of penetrating that fortress is by widdling down its defenses." Pong said stomping his fist on the table as a clone with dust covered armor entered the tent "General Krell sir, Commander Rock has returned from his scouting mission."

The besalisk Jedi general turned around his face bright red "What!?" he snapped "I told that useless boy not to return unless he had anything useful." Krell said his sudden outburst getting the attention of Anakin and Ahsoka who followed him out of the tent and into the camp, they walked to the rear of the camp where a small squad of clones was returning to the base. Anakin and Ahsoka spotted the only nonclone among them, a young boy about Ahsoka's age with fiery red hair that fell down his head in thick locks, and padawan braid, he was wearing a green Jedi tunic with the sleeves rolled up past his elbow, a dark brown belt that had a lightsaber at his side.

He was assisting a wounded clone trooper back into the camp before a medic arrived to take him "Boy!"

The boy practically jumped out of his own skin when he turned around to see his Master approaching him "General, sir, we were ambushed on our mission." he reported standing to attention.

"And you cut tail and run, like a coward I assume?" Pong asked all four arms crossed "No, yes sir, we're outnumbered, sir."

"Bah, if not for the reinforcements General Skywalker and his padawan had brought then maybe you would have seen the opportunity to advance." General Krell said as he spat at the ground "Forgive me, General, I wanted to make sure the men got back here safe." the padawan said as Pong laughed "Ha, you think this war will be won unless your willing to give as much blood as the clones, pathetic."

Anakin and Ahsoka noticed the harness in Pong's voice as he spoke to his padawan, Anakin stepped forward "I was unaware you had taken an apprentice General?" Anakin asked him.

Pong scoffed at the word "Apprentice, more like an annoyance, he was forced on me by Master Yoda but unlike your padawan, he's proven to be more of a hindrance than an asset." Pong said back to Anakin "Padawan greet Master Skywalker." he snapped at the boy.

"Yes sir, Padawan Commander Leo Rock at your service General." the boy named Leo said standing at attention then bowing "Well met Padawan Rock this is my padawan, Ahsoka Tano."

Ahsoka raised her hand and gave a casual wave "Hey."

Leo was a bit taken at how casual she was "... hey." he whispered back.

"Boy, assist Commander Tano in distributing the rations and supplies to the camp, even that should be a simple enough task for you, and Padawan Tano try using small words." Krell growled at Leo before turning away back to the command tent, Ahsoka looked at Anakin again who gave her a look for her to obey.

"This way." Leo said walking to the gunships carrying supplies at the other end of the camp, Anakin followed Krell back to the tent waiting till both youths were out of earshot "A bit, harsh General?" he asked.

"Harsh hmm, we're at war Skywalker, I must be hard on him if he hopes to survive and improve," Krell said, "Still you could ease up on the boy."

Krell walked back into the command tent "Thank you for your advice Skywalker, but I will trust you to leave the training of my apprentice to me and the training of yours to you, agreed?" Krell asked as he looked at the holographic base "Agreed." Anakin said.

Back with Ahsoka and Leo, the two of them started to unload the crates "Doesn't this seem a bit degrading?" Ahsoka asked Leo who was silent as the two of them set the box down "Hello, anyone there?" Ahsoka asked.

"Huh, oh no we have our orders," Leo said very quickly as he lowered the crate down on top of another one "Orders huh feels more like a chore right?" she asked jokingly.

He didn't seem amused "Uh so, interesting lightsaber you got there." she said pointing to it. It had a very basic design made of metal with a fiber weave around the belt and slightly curved pommel "Not really, but it gets the job done." he said handing it to her, she took it and activated it and nearly gasped when she saw the color of the lightsaber wasn't blue, green or even purple but pure white "A white lightsaber, I haven't ever seen one of these?" she said.

"Neither did the Masters when they saw it, I think the crystal I chose was relatively young, that's why it didn't go green or blue." he said before she turned it off and handed it back to him "Care for a match." she asked taking out her own lightsaber.

"I'd rather not." Leo said putting taking the lightsaber back as she smirked at him before she turned on her lightsaber, "Chicken?" she asked.

Leo only starred at her "Guess so." he said as he went back to work, she frowned at his refusal to be goaded by her "Yeesh who put stick up your but." she asked as he grabbed another crate and she grabbed it to "No one, it's just when I fight, I fight to win." he said as they unloaded another crate.

"What afraid to lose to a girl?" She asked him, Leo froze as she gave him a nasty glare "What does that have to do with anything?"

The torgurtan girl was confused at his answer "Huh, don't boys hate being thoughtless then girls?" she asked.

He gave her another weird look "I… don't think so, what does you being a girl have to do with anything?"

"Uh nothing I guess, then chicken?" she asked him Leo rolled his eyes as he reached for his lightsaber "Fine, but I warned you Stripes." he said poking fun at her lekku and the markings on her face "Whatever you say, Rusty."

The two of them drew their lightsabers and took stances, Ahsoka with shien and Leo with vaapad, the sudden duel started to get the attention of the clones from both the 501st and Leos troopers who started to look at one another "Oh this is going to be good." one trooper said as they locked blades then broke off the attack "She's got not chance against him, you know what they call him right." She tried to drop down and sweep out his legs but he jumped over attacking her flank. Ahsoka flipped up with one hand glancing her lightsaber off it making hte 501st cheer for her as she did. When they both landed on their feet, Leo came at her hacking away left and right, from top to bottom. Ahsoka was on the defense now as she backed up before they locked blades.

"Whoa take it easy." Ahsoka said as Leo's green eyes were glaring at her from behind his lightsaber "You said you wanted to fight."

Ahsoka smirked as she parried his blade and scooped up a handful of dirt "Then let's fight dirty." she said blinding him and then kicking him in the gut. Leo looked up and smiled before he charged her again this time he slid down attacking her feet, naturally she jumped to avoid it but when she did he grabbed onto her ankle so she hit the dirt hard. He got up and pointed his lightsaber at her neck "I win."

Ahsoka glared at him before she let go of her lightsaber "Really?" she asked before she delivered a kick right to his crotch making all the clones go "Ooooooohhh." before Ahsoka got up and tackled Leo to the ground and fists began to fly.

Back in the command tent Anakin and Pong were looking over the battlements "An all-out assault has proven ineffective, we should try and orbital bombardment." Anakin suggested, "I already tried General Skywalker, the base is equipped with an advanced shield generator for that."

Anakin looked around the base before he notices a drain on the far left side of the base "What's that?"

"A sewer grate, for waste and disposal." Pong said, "Too small for us or any of our men to fit through."

"For us and our men, but not two people we know." Anakin said smiling up at Krell who finally saw what he was getting up "Ingenious Skywalker, and one wonders why you haven't been made a full master yet." Pong said as he looked over at a clone, "Clone go get the boy and Skywalker's apprentice." Krell ordered Rex who took the term clone to some offense "Yes General." but obeyed none the less before they heard a loud crash.

"Uh Generals?" Rex asked, making both Masters look out the tent to see Ahsoka and Leo brawling in the middle of the camp throwing punches, at one another as they rolled across the dirt.

Anakin slapped his forehead seeing Ahsoka in such a state as Krell began to fume before the two of them walked out of the tent and at the same time shouted "PADAWAN!"

Leo and Ahsoka froze still locked in combat, they were tangled up in one another with Leo in a headlock by Ahsoka as he was trying to bite her leg and Ahsoka ready for a punch "Uh Master this isn't…" she punched Leo in the face one more time "What it looks like."

The two of them let go before standing at attention "You stupid boy!" Krell barked at Leo "You are an embarrassment to the Jedi for behaving in such a way."

"Please, General it was my fault I goaded Leo into the fight." Ahsoka said trying to take responsibility, something both Anakin and Leo noticed "I don't blame you for the duel Padawan Tano, it's clear that my apprentice needs furhter discipline." Krell said before he smacked the back of his leathery hand across Leo's face making the boy stagger but he showed no pain. He looked back at Krell with his eyes full of anger but he kept his mouth shut tight. Krell noticed the glare when he saw that both padawans were covered head to toe in the dirt almost blending in with the ground "But despite the boy's insolence, your appearance, it would seem favorable to your mission."

"Mission sir?" Leo asked.

Krell looked back at Anakin who was stunned at the use of violence against Krell's padawan "The two of you will sneak into the base via an unguarded backdoor on the left side of the fortresss, we'll have to planet charges at the bases fuel reserve it should cause a chain reaction wiping the base off the map." a clone trooper with the charges approached General Krell who took them "Here Padawan Tano, I trust you with command of this mission and make sure this whelp slow you down." Krell growled at Leo who avoided his master's gaze.

Ahsoka took the charges and felt the shame Leo was propelling off himself as she put the charges backpack on his shoulders "Yes General, is there anything else."

"Yes Ahsoka there is, General Krell and I will draw the enemy attention out of the stronghold, with anyluck that should give you plenty of time to get in and out, watch for the signal from Rex and then get to work." Anakin said as he looked at Rex who gave her a wink "Give'm hell kids."

Both Leo and Ahsoka nodded at him before walking off to do their master's bidding, "I must apologize again for my apprentice Skywalker, the boy's insolence knows no limit." Krell said turning around to Anakin "With respect General, he is just a boy."

"But he is also a Jedi, there is no room for such emotion in times of war, I thought a Jedi of your stature would understand that," Krell said openly "I leave the command of the battlefield to you, I'll coordinate our forces here."

Anakin was surprised at the orders "Your not coming?"

"I am a better tactician then warrior Skywalker, but afterward if you wish to test me then by all means," he said, glaring with Anakin obviously aware of how he disapproved of Krells methods "Be wary Skywalker, I trust your padawan is more then capable of accomplishing this mission alone given my padawans reputation."

Anakin said nothing "Reputation, General?"

"Huh, I'm surprised word hasn't reached you of the Separatists nickname for him."

Later, Ahsoka and Leo had made there way out of the camp into a rocky gorge around the droid fortress, "I'm sorry I got you in trouble with your Master." Ahsoka said as she followed Leo through the canyon.

"Don't be, it was my mistake." Leo said as they came to narrow corridor "You fight well you know, for a human." she said as Leo gave her to look over his shoulder "Whatever you say torgurtan." he said a long silence filled the air.

"So how long have you been with Master Krell?" Ahsoka asked following him into a more open hall of the gorge "A few cycles now, we've been here for months without any success."

"Really, this backdoor seems so obvious to exploit." Ahsoka said as they came to the edge of the gorge "Well it's not a backdoor, as it is… a sewage drain." Leo said as they saw the left side of the base was unguarded as a small port was emptying out waste and sewage into a steady stream of filth. Ahsoka plugged her nose in disgust "Oh disgusting… Skyguy I swear I'll get you back for this." she grumbled.

Taking her hand away from her nose she set the charges down "Alright now all we do is wait for the signal."

She sat down on a nearby rock as Leo got down on his knees and closed his eyes "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Meditating, getting ready," he said as he took a deep breath, the time began to pass slowly as the sun started to set to dusk.

"Uh…" Ahsoka said as she picked up a few pebbles and started to fling them at Leo, he turned his head at her but she hid the rocks behind her back "What?"

He took a deep breath and tried to resume his meditation before she tossed the pebbles at him again "Would you cut it out?"

"What I'm not doing anything." she said standing up, Leo smirked as he flicked his finger knocking Ahsoka off her feet and on her butt "Ow." Ahsoka hissed at him as he snickered.

Suddenly a flare went up from the Republic side of the battlefield and the sounds of the battle began "That's the signal lets go." Leo said getting up.

The two padawans ran out of the gorge seeing the battle in the distance as Anakin was leading the charge with Rex behind him out of the base poured the battle droids taking up their positions behind fortifications and trenches. "Stop." Leo said putting his arm across Ahsoka to stop her "What, what is it?" she asked.

"Mines." he said noticing some of the dirt was uneven in a few spots.

"Ideas?" she asked him "Follow my lead," Leo said as he jumped ahead of her on a piece of ground that hadn't been turned over, he strated to hop from spot to spot without a mine before he reached the sewage grate.

Ahsoka gave him a thumbs up before she followed his exact motions to arrive at the grate "Good call back there." she said "Thanks." Leo replied before he took out his lightsaber to cut a hole in the sewage grate letting out more sewage "Ugh, the things we do for the Republic." Ahsoka said. Leo suddenly snickered before stifling a small laugh "Hey what do you know, you can smile and laugh, and here I thought you were one of those by the books padawns." Ahsoka said as they climbed in.

"I try to be," Leo said as she followed him.

The sewage crate was cramp and narrow, their knees and hands sloshing through the grime and other waste practically choking them from the smell "Ugh… cough, I swear we should ask for a medal for this." Ahsoka said.

"Your welcome to after we finish the mission." Leo said as they were coming up on a vent above them "Here we go." he said as he looked out of it to see no droid around him.

"All clear." Leo said crawling out, with Ahsoka following, they were outside a large building inside the fortress with the words ammunition on the wall "Hmmm a charge here would do some damage." Ahsoka said as she reached into her pack "Or five." she said handing them to Leo "I'll set these ones, think you can handle the fuel depot?" he asked.

Ahsoka scoffed at him "Piece of cake."

Leo dipped inside the ammo house as Ahsoka ran around the corner to six large fuel reserves and started to plant the charges, she flung them to each key point letting the magnetic cups sink onto them before she froze "Uh oh." she said sensing danger in the force when out of nowhere a hundred battle droid ran out from behind cover and surrounded her. She drew her lightsaber and froze as they were only ten feet away from her "HAHAHAHHA, this has to be a joke."

Ahsoka looked up to see the Separatist General walking through his droid army smugly smirking at her "The jedi sent a youngling, a freaking youngling to destroy my base." he cackled through fanged teeth.

"That's jedi to you." She hissed as the General was frozen for a half second before laughing again "Oh this is rich, rich, I can't wait to tell Lok Durd about this he'll have a riot." he said as Ahsoka noticed Leo had climbed to the top of the ammunition house the moon shining behind him giving him a ghostly visage.

"Alright Jedi, how many more Jedi children did they send, a hundred, a thousand?" he asked smugly as Ahsoka smiled back "Just one."

Leo jumped off the roof of the storage room and ignited his lightsaber "Ahsoka down!" He yelled before he smashed himself into the ground with his fist sending a force repulse around the two of them sending the droids and general back ten feet, "Set the charges to leave the droids to me!" Leo yelled jumping into battle. He started to hack and slice the droids away moving swift and precise as he cut down one set od roids with his lightsaber hand and blasted the others with the force. "But I-" Ahsoka was about to join him when she saw Leo use the force to rip a droids screws out man it clatters to the ground "Never mind."

Ahsoka started to plant the charges before the Separatist General came to see the battle droid being turned to scrap "What…" he gasped seeing Leo fly through the battlefield, "No, it can't be…" the General whispered as Leo sliced a super battle droid down the middle and kicked another one away as Ahsoka set the last charges "That hari, that lightsaber it can't be- not him." Leo jumped up again and used a force repulse "GRAAAAA!" to shatter the remaining battle droids "Not the Berserker!"

Leo landed panting hard in front of the Separatist General holding his lightsaber to the man's scaley neck "I'll take that as your surrender."

"No, never." The general said hitting his comms on his wrist "All Battle droids get here now!" he ordered before Leo used the force to rip the comms off the general's arm and crush them before using the force to tie up the Separatist General in his own cape.

"We need o move fast," Ahsoka said hearing the clanking metal boots of droids heading their way.

Leo looked back at her as he picked up the general, even if he was young and shorter then Ahsoka he appeared to be surprisingly strong "I'm open to suggestions stripes!"

"Uh…." Ahsoka looked around at the base vehicles seeing two droid speeder bikes, a tank and then a vulture droid on standby.

"Tank or vulture droid?" Ahsoka asked "What?"

"Tank-or-Vulture?" she asked him.

Outside the base, the Republic was gaining the advantage "We've got them on the run General." Rex said before Anakin started to signal the padawans "Ahsoka are you out of the base."

"Working on it Master," Ahsoka said as Leo and she pulled the Separatist General into the tank "You sure this will work?" Leo asked Ahsoka as the General who was gagged under his own cloak kept screaming "I think so- maybe." Ahsoka said as she sealed the tank.

"Maybe, MAYBE!" Leo screamed at her "Hey I make up as I go along."Ahsoka said as Leo went white as his lightsaber "We're all going to die."

"Not yet we're not," Ahsoka said as she hit the detonator for the charges.

KA-BOOOOOOOOOOM 

The fuel reserves and ammo shack went up in flames along with the rest of the base sending out all the ammo across the sky in a bright and colorful explosion taking all the droids and their weapons with them. The clones all let out hardy cheers and cries of victory before Anakin stopped and smiled "Ahsoka great work… Ahsoka?" Anakin asked.

"Come in Ahsoka?" Anakin asked starting to get worried looking at his comms, before Rex noticed something flying out of the base "General?" Rex asked.

"Ahsoka come in, come in." Anakin said again "General!" Rex said again this time with more importance in his voice "What is it, Rex?" Anakin snapped as Rex pointed up to the sky to see a separatist tank flying down toward them "TAAAAANK!"

Anakin looked back at him in shock "RUN!"

The tank crashed down into the spot where Anakin and Rex were standing after they ran away before getting crushed kicking up a cloud of dust and rocks before it all settled. The clones and Jedi both coughed and wiped the air around their faces clear to see the door of the tank starting to open. All the clones raised their blasters before they saw Ahsoka poke her head out her orange and white face starting to turn green "Mission…. Ugh.. accomplished." Ahsoka said holding down barf as she pulled herself out, the Separatist General being kicked out behind Leo with a green stain all over the separatist Generals scarlet fatigues and Leo wiping his mouth "Please…. Never again."

Anakin sighed in relief as the clones cheered for the Jedi and for their victory as Anakin walked up to Ahsoka "Good work snips, I'm proud." Leo noticed this and looked up to see Krell who turned around leaving Leo alone.

"You did great to Leo." Anakin said putting his hand on his shoulder before they started to walk back to the camp, Rex and another clone secured the Separatist general "Peww I new the Separatists stink but this is ridiculous."

After they returned to the base, Leo poured a buck of hot water over him washing over the sewage stains away from his garments and body before someone tossed a bucket of water on him. He looked behind himself to see Ahsoka holding an empty bucket "We worked well together Rusty." Ahsoka said.

Leo picked up another bucket and smiled "You two, stripes." He said before he threw a bucket at her which she took with pride letting it clean off the stink "Oh stars that feels great." She said as she scrubbed some stains off her arms as they got clean.

"So much for the glorious life of Jedi?" Ahsoka asked Leo who smirked, "We won didn't we." he asked her.

Nodding she set the bucket down "True, hey can I ask you something?" Ahsoka asked him "Sure." Leo asked.

"What's the deal with the name Berserker?" she asked, Leo shrugged "Not sure, I take out droids then one day one of them screamed 'It's the Berserker' maybe the droids use it to designate me, or maybe they're trying to insult me."

"Why, I'd love it if they'd call me something like that like, the Torgurtan Terror." She said trying to come up with a name, she struck pose arms up and flexed before Leo laughed at her "What?"

"No, it's heheh.. .its great.' he laughed as in the distance Anakin and Pong watched them "It seems we won the day." Pong said turning around as Republic Cruisers started to fly down to the planet to pick up the jedi.

"In no small part thanks to our Padawans." Anakin said as Pong stopped "I know you think me hard on him, but I have foreseen a great destiny for Leo Rock one that he must be ready for if he is to fulfill." Pong said sullenly "I understand the need to be strict, but perhaps you could give the boy to me, let me examine how much he's progressed and what he could improve on?"

Krell thought it over for a few moments before turning to Anakin "Very well, I will let the Council know of our descision, it may be unorthodox but I see no reason why they would refuse with how much Kenobi is by your side, who knows he may even make a decent jedi." Krell said as Anakin stopped letting him walk off.

The chosen one started to head down to where Ahsoka and Leo were throwing buckets of water at one another before they saw him approach, Leo dropped his bucket and stood at attention "General Skywalk-" Ahsoka doused him with another bucket and laughed "Hey Master I… i couldn't help myself." she snickered as Anakin gave the two a soft smile "So where are we off to next?"

Leo's face fell when he heard her say that "Not sure yet, but the three of us better get going." Anakin said "Three of us?" Ahsoka asked.

"Master Krell has put Leo under my command." Anakin said as a gunship landed behind Anakin with Captain Rex getting on it "Ready to go Leo?"

Leo looked at the gunship then at Ahsoka and Anakins smiling faces "All my life."


	2. Jedi Crash

Leo sat in his private quarters on a bed, aboard the giant warship, they were traveling through hyperspace at the time when he heard a knock, "Come in." Leo said before the door opened and Anakin walked in hands behind his back, Leo shot up and stood at attention "General, Sir." Anakin smirked at the respect "At ease Commander." he said walking and looking at the bunk room seeing it was rather plain the bed was made neat, Leo's lightsaber was held promptly on a stand next to a datapad.

"How are you settling in, good I hope?" he asked taking a seat at the corner desk "Yes General, no problems."

Anakin noticed he was very tense even when standing at ease, "You can sit down Leo." Anakin said gesturing to the bed, Leo did so rather slowly but still sat upright "Thank you, sir."

"I must say, it is rather nice to have someone so respectful unlike Ahsoka, but don't tell her I said that." Anakin begged, "Yes sir, of course, sir."

"Please don't call me sir, it makes me feel old." Anakin chuckled "Yes... master." Anakin heard Leo say making the Jedi Knights ego swoon before he could ask anything else Anakin commlink started to beep "Master, we're about to exit hyperspace." Ahsoka said from the other end "Understood Ahsoka."

"Is Leo there?" she asked, Anakin looked up at Leo who was confused why she'd be asking for him "Yes, why?"

"Just checking, hey Rusty." Ahsoka said before she cut the link making Leo grit is teeth "Rusty huh, not as bad as Skyguy." Anakin scoffed as he got up "You to sir?" Leo asked, "I mean master." Anakin nodded "Don't worry, she doesn't mean anything by it, if anything I think she likes you." Anakin said walking out with Leo following him his cheeks flushing redder than his hair.

led himself to the bridge. Where he could see the ship sailing through hyperspace, Jedi General Anakin Skywalker was standing, with him was Admiral Yuralen, and Ahsoka Tano.

"How long till, we exit hyperspace," Anakin asked the Admiral, "Not long General, but I hope we aren't too late General Secures the last transmission seemed grim," the mustached admiral said. Leo walked up behind Anakin on the opposite side of Ahsoka. "Leo, glad to have you back" Leo nodded at him "Yes General".

Just as Leo spoke a clone popped his head up "Sir were coming out of hyperspace". The Republic warship exploded out of hyperspace into a giant battle over a large planetoid. There were many separatist frigates laying waste to three republic war crushers one was going down already and the second from the middle just exploded. Anakin turned around and said, "Prepare the gunships". Anakins ship burst out of the

GENERAL SECURA'S SHIP

"General" a clone shouted from his post, the blue-skinned Twi'Leik Jedi turned to the clone "General Skywalkers ship has just come out of hyperspace "And none too soon, we're entering the atmosphere," she said. Outside it proved it her entire lower hull was on fire from the atmosphere.

When the _Resolute_ finally entered the battle, in a matter of seconds three gunships, flew out of the hanger of there ship. Aboard them were clones and Jedi, yet all the Jedi were aboard only one of them. Anakin, Ahsoka, and Leo rode the gunship into the thick of the battle. While blaster fire and falling droids surrounded them "General, rocket droids are boarding General Secura's ship" Leo shouted, "I see them" Anakin called back over the wind.

Wreckage and blasts fire were flying all around them, one piece of wreckage actually cracked the gunship pilots window.

As soon as he spoke the gunship felt a hard and loud thud hit the top of their ship. A rocket droid had landed on top of the ship and was heading straight for the pilot's cockpit. "Leo, take care of that droid" the boy nodded unclipping his saber from his hilt and unsheathing the white blade "Yes General", Leo jumped from the interior of the ship on to the wing and swung around on to the top to face the droid.

"Ahsoka I'll be on Aaylas cruiser," Anakin said looking down below at the burning vessel "Master are you sure that's the wisest idea," Ahsoka asked but it was too late, Anakin had jumped from the ship and landed on the back of a rocket droid. One he presumed to aim right at the giant hole in the cruisers haul that the rocket battle droids were using to enter and board the ship. Back up top Leo blocked three of the droids blaster fire and sliced the rocket droid in half right down the middle. He ran to the controls trying to see if he could regain control of the ship. He held up his hand the moment a spark ignited an explosion in the cockpit. Leo swung back down into the gunship "Controls are fried, ha-" "We know, we know, hang on" Ahsoka said grabbing to the side of the ship. Leo grabbed onto one of the hoops on the ceiling that many of the clones were holding on.

Down below Anakin had landed inside Aaylas ship, and was already chopping of the droids like they were nothing. Moments later Leo, Ahsoka, Captain Rex and their clones crashed into the giant hole sealing it and joining in the battle.

Back outside the ship high above them, the separatist armada was only firing a minimum barrage of cannon fire at the warship. Inside the command ship the droid general walked up to one of the droids "This is taking to long, destroy that cruiser" it ordered the battle droids "But sir, there are still hundreds of droids o that this" the droid computed to it's superior "I don't care" the command droid replied without emotion.

"Roger Roger" the droid replied, and fury of cannon blasts began to tear the cruiser apart. Elsewhere as in, inside Aayla's ship Leo and Ahsoka were leading the clones against the battle droids, Ahsoka leaped over a super battle droid while Leo sliced out its legs, she bounced off the floor again taking out another. While Leo stabbed on in the back as he jumped over it and cut another's arm off before it could open fire. Captain Rex was bringing up the flank the clone troopers firing of any shot they could get. While Anakin who was far ahead was leaving a trail of searing metal in his wake, currently he blasted a battle droid out of his path than raised one of the floors with the force and brought it right into his lightsaber before sending it back into a crowd of droids destroying them with their own weapons.

As he did, the others caught up with him, and just in time as they regrouped down the hall, Aayal Secura and her remaining troops including a yellow and white armored ARC trooper were fighting of more droids by holding their position. Master Secura turned to see her reinforcements and without hesitation she and the other Jedi pushed forward "My thanks Skywalker" Aayal said as Anakin and her took the lead "How do you plan to get us out of this-" Aayla sliced a battle droids blaster fire away "mess?" she asked him as Anakin deflected more enemy fire.

"Well? I have a ship docking-" he blocked another one "In the lower hanger as we speak" he said blocking more fire in a flurry of lightsaber skill. As Anakin said a ship was beginning to dock underneath the ship and was already beginning to sync with the ships lower hanger. Back aboard the cruiser Anakin lead the group around a corner where they saw a lone battle droid. The droid looked at them and beeped "Uh-oh" Anakin smiled seeing it was all alone he took out his lightsaber but as he did the blast doors behind the droid opened to reveal an entire battalion of droids, wiping of Anakin's smile "Ah-ha!" the droid cheered as they opened fire. The party turned around and ran back the way they came, down to the docking port in the lower hanger. "We made it" Ahsoka said smiling "And none to soon" Leo added as Ahsoka opened the door. Without warning the entire cruiser shook more violently than before, a loud rumbling started to grow around them as the docking doors opened. Anakin turned around to look down the hall, a roaring inferno was heading straight for them, no doubt caused by the droids finally crippling the ship "Too late" he yelled Anakin raised his hand and used the force to push the company through the door. "Master!" Ahsoka shouted as she saw him use the force to seal the door shut. Leo got up and looked at the door then back at Ahsoka.

Outside the door Anakin shut another blast door to contain the fire, he closed his eyes and focused on the doors creating a barrier with the force. For about three seconds the door was holding, only three seconds before it burst open sending Anakin flying back into the other door with a loud explosion. "Don't move the ship" Ahsoka ordered into her comm link to the ship they were about to board.

"Are you guys alright up there?" the clones asked from her comm link. Ahsoka had cut a hole in the blast door where she dashed through to see Anakin's body sprawled out before them covered in burns and bruises. While Leo ran down the inside of the ship to the guns. He opened the door to the lower gun and slid down a ladder into the capsule. Jumping into the gunner's chair he proceeded to activate the firing mechanics. As the guns started to warm up, Leo didn't waste a second before opening fire on the droids bellow while the ship detached from the destroyed cruiser.

Back inside the docking tube Ahsoka was dragging Anakins seemingly lifeless body onto the ship "Ahsoka we have to go now" Aayla ordered as she helped drag Anakin back into the ship "I'll activate the deflector shields" Commander Bly said running to the bridge.

Down bellow, in the gunner's chair, Leo was shooting vulture droids out of the sky, while they gave chase. On the bridge, Aayla, Commander Bly, and the two other clones who were piloting the ship were flying back to the _Resolute_. The Jedi master who wasn't passed out in the med bay was speaking with Admiral Yuralen "Are you insane, you can't possibly board in the middle of this battle" he snapped at the Jedi "I'm sorry, but General Skywalkers condition is critical" she said back to him, the admiral sighed "Are all Jedi so reckless" he asked her, as she smiled "No just the good ones". Down in the med bay, Ahsoka was tending to Anakin as the medical droid strapped a breather over his face, Ahsoka looked at her master then turned away "…Leo you there" she asked speaking into her commlink, the sounds of cannon fire were heard from the other end of the communication, "A little busy Ahsoka" Leo said from the other end, he had just downed another vulture droid, only a hundred more to go. "It's about Anakin, he's in critical condition-" "I'm sorry Ahsoka, but I have my hands full," he said back to her as the ship was about to dock with the remaining republic Cruiser who was locked in combat with the Separatist fleet.

Ahsoka turned off the comm link and walked back over to Anakin listening to his breathing. The only thing she could hear was the rise and fall of the breathalyzer and the life supports exhaust and intake. Back on the bridge of the _Resolute_ Admiral Yuralen was started to notice that the Jedis ship was starting to malfunction "What's going on?" he asked Aayla "We're going into hyperspace, DETACH, DETACH" she yelled at him. "Evasive maneuvers" the admiral ordered the clones as the warship detached from the frigate. Leo was still firing down below deck at the vulture droids sweeping beneath them like scavengers waiting to take their prey. In a matter of seconds, the ship blasted forward into hyperspace "What?" Leo gasped. Back on the _Resolute_ Admiral Yuralen watched as their Jedi vanished into space "Plot ever course on their last known trajectory, we need to finish this battle and find them" he said as the ship shook hard again from cannon fire.

HYPERSPACE

Back in the med bay of the republic frigate, Ahsoka was looking over her master, looking down on him, with worry. A few seconds later the door opened up and Aayal walked in "I need you on the bridge with Commander Bly, right now" she ordered the youngling "I should stay, commander Bly doesn't need my help" Ahsoka said back to Master Secura almost rather harshly "Anakin does" she added. Aayla looked at the Jedi Padawan with her soft hazel eyes "You can help Anakin by getting this ship to safety" she said to Ahsoka who was still looking over her wounded master. The door opened and then Commander Bly walked in, without his helmet. Unlike Rex, he had some hair on his head, and a few yellow tattoos on his face to add to who he was.

"General Secura, we have a problem," he said without hesitation "What is it, commander?" Aayal asked him.

Bly sighed as he walked toward the med bays monitor on the wall "In our haste to escape the hyperspace coordinates were entered in incorrectly" he said turning on the monitor showing their ship heading straight for a large mass, "Well… were heading right for a star".

The two Jedi and clone didn't waste time heading out of the medical room to the bridge, Ahsoka, however, stopped in the doorway with one foot out the door she looked back at Anakin still unconscious and now alone. In another part of the ship, Leo was getting out of the gunner's chair and climbing back into the hallway. He ran down the hall to the bridge he walked straight into the bridge. When he walked in Ahsoka was at the controls with Commander Bly, both Rex, and Aayla behind them. "What happened, why are we in hyperspace," he asked aloud "Hyperdrive was hit and activated." Rex said "We had to detach from the cruiser so not to be killed" Aayla added "But the coordinates were entered in incorrectly," Bly said trying to figure out the controls

"And now we're heading right for a star!" Ahsoka shouted leaving Leo silent with all four of their explanations turned into one. "It's no use.. the controls are fired," Commander Bly said slamming his fist down on the controls in defeat. "If we shut down all the power to the ship then maybe we can drop out of hyperspace fast enough to change course," Leo said all eyes turned to Leo.

"But that'll cut off Anakin's life support" Ahsoka pointed out, Leo looked at her than to Aayla "General?" he asked.

Ahsoka looked at the Jedi master until she said: "I'm sorry Ahsoka but he's right, prepare to drop out shut off all power" she ordered Commander Bly and a reluctant Ahsoka. Leo ran over to the switch that would turn it all off.

Aayla looked at the promotor waiting for the right moment "3…2…1!" she yelled, Leo shut off the switch and the entire ship went dead. They fell right out of hyperspace face to face with a giant star. Aayal and Rex fell back into the wall of the bridge as Ahsoka and Bly were slammed against the seats of their chairs. Leo barely held onto the waiting for his next order.

"Leo, now" he heard General Secura order, with great effort as the sheer force of coming out of hyperspace, made his entire body three times as heavy he swung the lever up turning everything back on. Leo, Aayal, and Rex fell to the ground while Ahsoka and Commander Bly nearly fell out of their seats. Ahsoka went right to the controls flying them out of the direction of the sun, to safety. Or so they thought "Well we're not going to crash into that star," she said As Leo stood up to look out the bridge window to see a brown colored planet, and they were heading straight for it "But we are going to hit that planet" Ahsoka stated sarcastically. The frigate flew right toward the planet with increasing speed, engines ablaze.

Leo held on tight but his eyes kept drifting over to Aayla and her own features bouncing along with the shaking of the ship, and it wasn't her lekku.

When the ship broke through the atmosphere the last engine blew "Brace for impact" General Secura ordered as they all could see the ground of the planet rushing toward them at increasing speed. The frigate was loosening parts of the ship left and right as they were heading straight for a crash landing in seconds. When they crashed into the ground it fell like a thunderbolt was ripping up the ship ripping chunks of it to go flying off as it carved up the ground. Inside the ship, Anakin was being held down by the droid preventing him from getting harmed even more then he was already. Inside the cockpit, Ahsoka and Bly held onto their seats as tight as possible, Rex, General Secura, Leo, and the other clones were sent flying back into the cockpit. Leo collided with Aayla slamming right into her chest knocking them both down.

When the entire ship came to a halt everyone was groaning and moaning in pain. Everyone started to recover when Leo came to first see the awkward position he was in immediately stood up face bright red, quickly running to the emergency exit Commander Bly busted down the door "Quick everyone out of the ship" the clones and Leo emptied from the ship as Aayla and Ahsoka ran back into the ship to get Anakin. Outside Leo and the clones were looking at the burning ship "Where are they" Leo asked looking at the clones, he was "Ahsoka, go tend to your Master" Aayla ordered "Leo, salvage what you can from the ship, Commander Bly, Captain Rex you and the others scout our perimeter" all of them nodded at her ready to go.

Later, Ahsoka and Rex put Anakin into the makeshift shelter, some of the clones were making sure the area was safe, and a fire was going. It was two pieces of the haul leaned up against one another. "Perimeter secure, General" one of the clones said to Aayal who nodded, "Leo what do we have to work with" Leo set the four survival packs down at their feet "Four packs, we have medical gear but most of the ships medical tools were destroyed, including the droid" Ahsoka looked at Leo who glanced up at her, a glance Aayal noticed "What of the supplies we have now" she asked.

"Provisions include, medical bacta for cuts and bruises, food, and a few flares" he explained kneeling over them. Aayla picked up two of the packs and handed one to Bly that he took "How long will that last us" Bly asked looking inside his pack "This was meant to supply four, we have more than four, we can't survive on this…. Two weeks at most" Leo added finally giving him the answer he wanted. Bly looked at Aayla wondering what she was thinking their next move should be. She walked over to Anakin inside the shelter and knelt down, Leo followed and was soon joined by Ahsoka as the master examined Skywalker. "Anakin doesn't have much time, we have to find help tonight" she declared standing up everyone looking at her.

Ahsoka then said "Okay, you and Bly go south, Rex, Leo and I will stay with Anakin" she ordered, Leo stepped forward.

"That's up to General Secura Ahsoka" Leo commented earning him a scowl. "No Ahsoka, in order for this to work quickly we need to work together," Aayla said to the young Padawan "I can't leave him, Master I know if I was hurt he wouldn't leave me behind" she nearly shouted at Aayla at leaving her master. "I know this is hard Ahsoka, but Anakin has to stay behind and we have to go now," General Secura said with an extra force in her voice. Aayla leaned in and put both hands on Ahsoka's shoulders "I know this is hard" she said removing her hands she then added, "But as a Jedi, it is your duty to do what is best for the group, Leo will stay here while you assist me." Ahsoka looked away from her and took a few steps away not saying anything. A few seconds later, Aayla was approached by Commander Bly "General Secura look" she handed her a piece of bark that looked like it had been carved on the wood "We're not the only ones on this planet, there has to be something intelligent here" Bly said the carving was of a giant tree and underneath it were to creatures one was a giant four-legged animal something else was in front of it standing on two legs with a tail.

Suddenly there was a loud scream of an animal was heard off in the distance with the sun setting. Rex turned on his helmets lights "If you don't mind me asking General Secura, where exactly are we going?" Commander Bly said.

"To find the people who live on this planet" she replied to her second in command, "How are we going to do that, we don't know exactly where they are" Bly asked her, Ahsoka looked at the carving and put a finger to her lip "Hmmm, it appears the people who live on this planet live near giant big trees" she said, Leo glanced at it too "And there appear to be two" he said looking at the larger one on the carving with for legs. He slipped the tablet into his pack that he was holding in his hand.

Aayla said nothing, but Ahsoka turned around to look at the nearly dead body of Anakin "Be strong master, Rex will take care of you" she said looking back at the others "As will Leo" "What" Ahsoka asked, while Leo was silent about someone bringing up his name "We have an unusual amount of Jedi here Ahsoka, Leo will stay and watch over Anakin while you come with us" she stated to them. "But General if I may ask," Leo said stepping forward "Ahsoka should stay here with here with General Skywalker, allow me to accompany you General Krell has sent me on numerous long-range scouting missions," he asked her. She shook her head "I'm afraid not Padawan Rock, my decision is final, both of you, keep your locators on, we're off to find who or what lives on this planet". General Secura turned to walk toward the tall grasses, with the clones behind her, Ahsoka sneered at Leo who gapped at her wondering what he had done wrong, "Come on guys, let's move out" Aayla ordered the clones and Ahsoka, but she too soon followed not letting him ask her.

Leo watched the party run off into the grass, to look for any help. Leo looked back down at Anakin who was still wounded and helpless, "What now kid" Rex asked Leo watched the sun starting to set as he sighed "We wait". He sat down legs crossed as if to meditate but all he could do was watching the others go off into the wild in search of help. "Something up kid?" Rex asked him sitting down next to him Leo looked at the clone captain for a moment "It's nothing" Rex raised his brow underneath the visor of his helmet before he asked "You sure, you look like something's bothering you" the clone asked. "I'm fine," Leo said again this time with a little more force in his words, Leo stood up as Rex kept put "Alright if you say so".

Elsewhere, later in time, the search party had slowed there pace to a steady walk as the sun continued to set in the distance. Everyone was silent for the most part till Aayla said to Ahsoka "I can still sense your worry for Anakin, and you're displeased with Leo" she said to the young torgrutan "Your attachment to them" she pointed out.

Ahsoka looked up at her as they walked "It's just, I get so confused sometimes" Ahsoka sighed looking at the dirt as she walked in front with Aayla, the four clones behind them.

"It's forbidden for Jedi to form attachments, yet we're supposed to form attachments" Ahsoka said embarrassed about her confusion "It's nothing to be embarrassed about Ahsoka" Aayla said smiling as she looked off into the distance "I went through the same thing when I was your age" she said to the younger girl.

"Really you?" Ahsoka asked her slightly surprised by the Jedi master.

Aayla nodded as she said "He was like a father to me, I realized for the greater good I had to let him go, don't lose a thousand lives just to save one" she said finally to Ahsoka hoping to give her some extra wisdom "Maybe, but that doesn't mean I can't try to save his life… unlike Leo" she grumbled the last part of her words.

Aayla glanced at her "I sensed your frustration with Leo, why" she asked him. "Leo is supposed to be a Jedi like us, but he can be so serious it's almost like talking to a droid."

"I know, but he just doesn't make any sense sometimes," Ahsoka said to her about the red-headed Jedi. "I have seen padawans like Leo before, well somewhat like him," Aayla said adding a little bit to the end of it.

The young Jedi looked at the older Jedi Master "Many Jedi are being tested in this war Ahsoka, Leo is no exception" Ahsoka heard Aayla explain.

"What do you mean", Ahsoka asked her.

"Some Jedi believe, that we kneed to adopt a different perspective, one that demands we see things… differently" Ayala said to her, as the sun set on them, "Leo is one of them".

Back at the crash site, night had also descended onto Rex, Leo and the passed out Anakin. Rex was still sitting on the ground, Leo was walking back and forth, pacing holding his lightsaber in his hand. Suddenly he stopped "What?" Rex asked as Leo looked into the tall grasses "We're being watched" Leo turned on his lightsaber the white beam of energy lighting up the area around him brightly. Rex stood up turning on his helmets lights looking at the tall grass, "What now?" Leo heard Rex say to him "We go take a look".

Back with the search party, they had finally found a pair of giant trees, with pods as big as speeders scattered around them. The walked toward the tree, seeing the roots stuck out of the ground with a hollow underneath "I don't see any signs of life" Bly stated to everyone. Aaylas Jedi sense suddenly lit up as she looked up to see one of the giant pods falling down up above. "Look out!" Aayla said tackling Bly out of the way, more pods began to fall land everyone ran underneath the base of the tree so as not to be crushed.

"No wonder it's deserted, it's a death trap" Ahsoka gasped looking at the fallen pods, she and Aayla looked up above at the trees wondering if any more pods would fall.

Aayla looked behind to see a long trail, about the size of the pods being dragged against the ground "It seems like something or someone intelligent enough figure out a use for the pods dragged them away" she said pointing to the trail. Bly turned on his hud lights to light up their path in the darkness. "All we have to do is follow the trail," Aayla said to everyone "Let's go" she ordered them the whole party taking off into a sprint.

Back at the camp, a large creature was looking at Anakin helplessly in the makeshift shelter, while Rex was returning to the camp. Anakin's eyes opened sensing something was near; he looked up to see a large creature peering at him in the tall grasses. The Jedi tried to walk out of the tent but fell to the ground unable to stand "Genera… are you alright?" Rex asked seeing him collapse. "Be… behind you" Anakin gasped Rex turned around to see a giant avian-like carnivorous bird, though flightless, it had a broad, flat head with a sharp beak and a mane of large brown feathers. It had a muscular build with sharp talons large enough to wrap around a man's waist.

The predator let out a giant scream, as it grabbed Rex it tossed him away from Anakin and Rex screamed. Anakin watched helplessly as the bird attacked Rex, the clone tried to take out his blaster but the bird pinned him. Suddenly the bird heard a loud scream from behind. It turned its head around to see Leo raining down on him white lightsaber drawn in both hands aiming straight for the bird. Leo yelled at his landed right on the carnivore driving the white saber directly into it's back and through its chest. The bird collapsed dead right on top of Rex.

Anakin saw Leo slew the giant beast, he collapsed as Rex crawled out from under the beast "Thanks kid" Leo looked up at him "Don't mention it, Captain." he said to Rex turning of his lightsaber, they looked back at Anakin, both Rex and Leo started to lay the Jedi down back into the shelter. Another scream was heard, the same one as the giant bird creature. Rex and Leo looked at one another, "We're in for one wild night" Leo said to Rex who nodded at him.

Far away, the company was still searching for the people who lived on the planet, but the two were being watched by the same creature that attacked the camp. But for them it was more than just one, Aayla and Ahsoka stopped right in front of them, both of them unclipped there lightsabers before two of the same giant creatures jumped out of the long grass tackling Ahsoka and Aayla out of the way knocking their lightsabers from there hands. The two creatures attacked the clones who started firing.

One swiped at one of the clones with his claws, then both of the monsters preceded to tear at the other two while Bly rolled out of the way aimed and fired right into one of the creature's eyes. The second one let out a scream before dashing away in full retreat. Aayla and Ahsoka were about to give chase but saw the creature was long gone. They turned around to see three of the four clones sprawled out on the ground not moving. Bly checked one of the clones and shook his head, "Camerons dead" he sighed standing up "So are Lucky, and Flesh" Aalya and Ahsoka looked at the dead soldiers, Aayla shook her head, and said "We have to keep moving", and so the did into a long night, back at the crash site, the night was just beginning.

Leo and Rex were guarding Anakin, with Rex sitting down, and Leo leaning up against the shelter arms crossed slightly. Rex was checking his blaster rifle making sure it would work. Leo looked into the bushes quickly as a loud rustling was hear, both Leo and Rex exchanged looks. Leo uncrossed his arms and took out his lightsaber but not turning it on, heading toward the green grass "Kid, what are you doing" Rex asked him, Leo glanced back at him "I'm not going to sit here and wait for those things to come to us" Leo said back to him.

"But where are you going?" Rex asked him again, Leo looked back into the grass, sensing what was out there "Hunting."

The boy moved into the long grass brushing it apart with every step, his ears were picking up every sound they could, bugs, birds, cracking twigs. He stopped when he heard a loud crack, he turned on his lightsaber and held it with both hands up close to his face. He started to breathe out heavily through both nostrils. His lightsaber was lighting up the grass and area around him he looked toward his left to see one of the predators, it growled at him inching ever closer with its giant paws one after the other, only fifteen feet away.

Leo turned to face it and held out his lightsaber "Come and get your feathers plucked you overgrown chicken" he growled it let out a giant squawk and rushed him. Leo let out a fierce roar and ran at the bird, it lunged at him leaping forward Leo sidestepped to right swing his blade up slicing the birds front right leg right off with a clean burn scar. The animal shrieked in agony at the loss of its a limb, it landed onto the ground with a loud thud squawking and moaning in agony. Leo turned around before it could recover he drove his lightsaber down into it. Another loud screech echoed from the crash site, Leo ran back toward the crash sight tearing through the long grass, he finally reached the campsite to see Three of the same bird wolves surrounding Rex who had his blaster aimed right. Leo turned his lightsaber back on and ran into the clearing, all the birds looked at Leo and Rex took his shot at one of the birds hitting it right in the head killing one of the three.

Leo tried to jump over the one closest to him, he spun around and brought his lightsaber down right on the creatures head chopping off its head. "KID LOOK OUT" Leo heard Rex said, the last bird was heading straight for Leo, who tried to turn around as fast as possible, not fast enough the bird lunged at him swiping its giant talons "AAAAAGH" the birds talons slash across his back ripping apart the back his robes, and his flesh. Leos saber had been knocked from his hands and the bird circled around Leo and screeched running at him. Leo looked up despite the pain in his back, he ground his teeth seeing the bird running at him. "Kid!" he Rex yelled Leos pain turned to anger, and anger to hate, he raised right arm toward the bird a wave of the force exploded out of his hand like a cannonball. At the charging bird, it smashed into the bird with a loud

CRACK

The bird was thrown back ten feet landing on its side, the animals bald bird-like head was on backward, the neck had been twisted all the way around from the sheer thrust of Leos force push, had killed it before the bird hit the ground. Leo dropped his hand looking at the dead body of the bird. He tried to stand up but nearly fell. The bird's talons had torn deeply into his back and up his right shoulder. Rex ran to helped Leo to his feet, "Are you al-" "I'm fine" Leo said, as Rex helped Leo back to the fire, another screech.

"Oh no" Rex said, Leo shut his mouth and started to breath through his robe, Leo summoned his lightsaber to his hand through the force he looked up around the grace, "Looks like you were right kid' Leo stood on his own two feet and turned on his lightsaber "About what" "It's going to be a very long night".

THE NEXT DAY

Ahsoka, Rex, and Aayla had been moving following the path all night until the finally stood over a large hill looking down into a large plain. Only about a hundred yards from them were pods, maybe thirty of them all gathered around with some kind of lifeforms walking around the pods. "Pod central, we made it" Ahsoka said smiling at the other two, all three of them slid down the hills path and toward the village.

They had slowed there pace to a walk as they headed toward the village "Do you think those creatures attacked the others last night" Bly asked Aayla "I certainly hope not" she said back to the clones "Once we get help from this village we'll be able to get Anakin help" Ahsoka said before the entered into the village "Mygeetans" Bly said seeing the village people, they were a lemuroid mammalian species, far smaller than a Human. Their bodies were covered entirely in fur, which ranged in color from a dark brown to a white-gray, though they did wear garments. The villagers had heads protruding perpendicular from their chest, with two large golden orange eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Each had a tail, and they communicated through speech and were able to speak Basic They stood on two legs and had two arms, with five digits on each hand and foot. They could walk either upright on their two legs, and could also use their arms and legs for faster movement. "Mygeetans?" Ahsoka asked "Also called Lurmen," Aayla said as the Lurmen villagers saw them coming.

When they drew nearer to the villagers they started to back away "Hello" Ahsoka asked holding up her hand and smiling?

Amongst the villagers, an older looking lumen approached the trio, he had one arm behind his back, and walked with a limp, he wore a short-sleeved yellow coat, with a yellow robe underneath and many necklaces.

"We are peacekeepers, we are Jedi from the Republic, our ship crashed a few miles away and one of us is very badly injured…. We need your help." Aayla said looking at the lurmens for help, before the Elder said "Violence breeds violence, Jedi are no peacekeepers" Jedi motioning to her lightsaber, Ahsoka stepped forward and held up her first "We're fighting for freedom" he claimed boldly to him. To which the elder replied, "And freedom and peace, require fear and death".

Aayla and Ahsoka looked at one another, unsure of what to say next "We colonized this world to seek refuge from your wretched war" the elder stated to them, the Jedi and clone standing in silence.

"We came here to find peace" he said walking to the left a few steps "You must leave, you will destroy what little peace is left in the Galaxy, you will only bring the destruction of us" the elder declared to the Jedi, Aayla stepped forward and spoke "Regardless of the clone wars and our part in them, we till need your help".

The village elder pressed his hand to his chest "I must do what is best for my people" he started to turn around "We cannot help you" as the elder turned around the villagers started to murmur amongst themselves.

Stepping forward Ahsoka started to say "Please, can you give us some medical supplies, my friend is dying" she begged to the elder who stopped. He looked towards his people who all looked at him, he waved his hand over at one of the younger taller Lurmen, he had grey fur like the rest of them but wore a grey tunic and had a brownish cap. The elder turned around and spoke to Ahsoka "I cannot ignore a plea for help" the younger lurmen walked up behind his elder "I will send my son, Wag Too, he is a healer" the elder said motioning to the young lurmen.

"But only one Jedi may go with him, we wouldn't want a surprise attack on our village, or the kidnapping of our only healer," the elder said untrustingly to them. When he di Bly started to step forward with his blaster in hand until Aayla held up her hand stopping him "Bly and I will stay, Padawan go help your master" Aayla said to Ahsoka who nodded at the plan, the Elder, however, didn't he pointed at Bly "No, the clone and his blaster cannot stay, he will go with the youngling" he said rather harshly pointing at Ahsoka. "I can handle it, I don't need help," Ahsoka said looking up at Aayla "Ahsoka-" "Don't worry," Ahsoka said reassuring the Jedi general. "Be mindful of your surroundings Ahsoka, those creatures are still out there".

Ahsoka nodded at her and said "Got it" she took off back in the direction they had just come from saying "We won't be long" Bly and the Lurmen Wag Too started to follow her. But the lurmen rolled up into a ball and started to tumble at the same speed Ahsoka was running.

The Jedi general looked back at the Lurmen who waved at her "Come with me, please" he asked her she followed the village elder to a large pod, were the Lurmen entered into it through a small doorway. Too small for a humanoid, Aayla had to bend down to get inside. A fire was sitting in the middle of the pod, and the rest of it had been hallowed out with only a few, pieces of furniture inside like a mat and some pots "Sit" the elder said to Aayla, she did as he took a pot off the ground and started to cook some water over the fire "How many others are there of you" the Elder asked as Aayla while he reached into his coat and sprinkled some herbs into the pot "Only two, including our injured companion two of them, are Jedi the one hurt, and another Padawan" Aayla answered sitting with her legs crossed.

"And the third?" he asked as he stirred the pot over the fire, "A clone, there were originally seven of us but three of our company were killed by wild beasts".

The elder kept stirring the pot "Mastiff phalones, they are fierce creatures easily frightened if knocked off their feet".

The elder took a cup in his hand and dipped it into the water "Here, it will restore your energy" he said taking the cup to Aayla and handing it to her. She took it "Thank you" the elder turned around to leave the pod hut. "I'm sure you know, the Jedi were not the ones who initiated the clone wars, our only intention is to end it and restore peace to our galaxy" the Elder turned back around to look at her and said "What does it matter, who started the war and who wants to end it".

The elder shook his head "No side, is free of fault" he held up two of his fingers and said, "It takes two to fight".

"Isn't liberty worth fighting for?" Aayla asked him.

"But is it worth killing for" the elder asked back, holding up his hands "Fighting for freedom, doesn't mean you have to kill everything in your path" he said walking around the fire back to Aayla who took a sip of her drink "Only when you lay down your weapons, and pursue a course of non violence, can you proclaim to me that Jedi are peacekeepers" he declared right in front of her. Aayla was at a loss for words "We had hoped this war could have been averted" Aayla said looking at the huts dirt floor "Many Jedi, clones and people have lost there lives in this war" Aayla said saddened just thinking about it "You said what did it matter who wanted to end it, to us it does" she said to him "For whoever wins this war, will decide the fate of the galaxy" she said before the Elder left the tent leaving the conversation.

Elsewhere sweat was dropping down Leos' forehead, the crash site was now littered with the dead bodies of the mastiff phalones had grown from three to at least seven. Leo was looking at the long grass his eyes were heavy from his sleepless night, and his body exhausted from the animal's attacks. "Kid" Rex asked him, walking up behind from Anakins shelter "Get some sleep" Rex suggested, Leo shook his head "No… can you see it" he said pointing to the grass, Rex looked out at the grass "I can't see anything" Leo took in a deep breath "There are still more of them" both of them turned around when they heard grunting coming from Anakin. They saw the Jedi knight trying to get to his feet. Rex rushed back to the shelter and stopped him "General, you need to rest yourself" Rex said to him, Anakin pushed him off "I… can't, Rex I can hear them" he said getting to his feet fighting off the pain "I sensed it too" Leo said, Rex helped Anakin by letting the Jedi lean on him "We must fight" Anakin said reaching for his saber. They turned there heads to the sound of loud thundering footsteps as two mastiff phalones emerged from the tall grass into the clearing. They both roared at the three of them, there bird-like beak jaws lined with teeth. Anakin and Leo turned on their lightsabers, while Rex held up his blaster.

Both animals howled at the three of them and charged them Rex was able to shoot the second bird, but the first one was able to run into them, knocking Rex and Anakin apart but tackling Leo through the makeshift structure that crumbled like cardboard to the animal.

It pinned Leo to the ground knocking his lightsaber away from him. The mastiff roared at Leo red to drive its teeth into his neck reached up and grabbed the animal by the neck stopping from taking a bite out of him. While the animal tried to devour Leo, Ahsoka, Bly, and the lurmen healer Wag Too ran out of the long grass. The three of them looked to see Rex and Anakin on the ground, with Leo pinned trying to hold back the mastiff but he looked like he couldn't for much longer. It was the lurmen Wag Too who leaped into action first taking out a vine-like lasso from his tunic he started to rope it around the beasts legs. Ahsoka took out her lightsaber and clicked it on running in to help the animal saw Ahsoka coming and squeaked at her as she was about to attack it "No-" Wag Too started to say, but Leo seeing the animal distracted raised his hand to resummons his lightsaber to his hands "-don't!" Leo aimed the blade emitter at the animals head just as it turned around jaws wide open ready for the kill.

Leo turned the lightsaber on immediately the white blade of energy pierced right through the animal's jaw, and outside the back of its head. "No" the lurmen nearly shouted running up to the creature, as Leo let out a sigh of relief. Ahsoka helped him out from underneath "What took you guys so long" Leo asked looking up at her, "Trying to find this little guy" Ahsoka said motioning to Wag Too who walked up to the two Jedi younglings "You… you killed it" Wag Too said looking at the dead predator, that was when Wag Too noticed all the other dead bird-like wolves bodies lying sprawled around the crash site.

"Sorry, but if you haven't noticed they've been trying to kill us for a while now," Leo said back to the lurmen, Ahsoka looked over at Anakin and saw him on the ground "Master?" she shouted running to him, the others followed suit. Ahsoka knelt down to her master on his right side, as Leo knelt on the left "Good… cough… to see you snips" Anakin said smiling up at her, Ahsoka smiled back seeing her master still alive "This is Wag Too, he can make you well again," Ahsoka said introducing Wag Too to Anakin. The lurmen approached the Jedi and said "Don't you worry, I can fix you right up" he said walking up to Anakin who nodded at the healer.

Bly who was standing next to Rex looked at all the dead mastiff phalones, "I see you three have been busy" Bly said to Rex who shook his head at the clone "Not us, him" Rex said holding his left arm that had been injured by the mastiffs "Birds never knew what they were up against" Bly and Ahsoka looked at Leo "What, amazing" Bly said to him. Leo let out a breath of air finally sensing things would be alright he nodded at the clone captain pressing his hand against the right shoulder, Anakin turned to Leo and said weakly "Good work Rusty" Anakin said to him "Thank you, General".

That's when Leo noticed something missing, four somethings "Where is everyone" he asked Ahsoka who answered, "Master Secura is back at Wag Toos village, the others…" Ahsoka's voice dropped looking at the birds "They didn't make it" Leo didn't need to know more to know what had happened, he looked down at Anakin "I hope it was worth it." he said as he walked away.

"Leo, where are you going?" Ahsoka asked as he walked over to the ship and started to pick up pieces of debris "We need to make a stretcher for the General." Leo said as he picked up a piece of metal and a pipe "Oh okay, well let us do that you take a break." She said, "I'm fine." Leo said as he picked up another chunk of metal "Leo-" she said reaching for him.

"I said I'm fine Ahsoka!" Leo snapped at her as he swatted her hand away.

VILLAGE

Later, all of them had returned to the pod village of the colonists, Aayla and the Village elder Tee Wat Kaa were waiting to them. When the six of them entered the village, Leo and Rex were bringing up the rear, Ahsoka and Bly were carrying Anakin in on a stretcher made from the destroyed shelter. When they set Anakin down, he awoke to find himself surrounded by the lurmen "Uh… Snips?" he asked seeing all the yellow eyes peering over him. Tee Wat Kaa looked at the Jedi bringing in there wounded, Aayla, however, smiled walking up to Ahsoka and the others "Good work Ahsoka, and to you as well Leo" She said to both Padawans, Leo still had his left hand over his shoulder. Leo looked past the Jedi general to see Wag Too walking up to the village elder, he looked at Leo before whispering something into his father's ear, Tee Wat Kaa appeared to listen intently "I see… thank you".

The lurmen lifted Anakins stretcher and took it toward one of the largest pods in the village, it looked like it was about to actually sprout. Leo turned around to see them doing it "Excuse me General Secura" when he turned his back to them both Ahsoka and Aayla saw the large scar a mastiff's talons had left, they were three scars running up his back shoulder, Ahsoka gapped at the sight of it. "Ahsoka come," Aayla said to her, Ahsoka started to follow but looked back at Leo and his blood dried wound.

Leo followed the Lurmen into the large pod, were they had laid Anakin at Wag Toos feet, Leo walked around to the other side of Anakin and sat down, watching Wag Too "The nectar from the pods will aid in the healing process" Wag too said reaching up into a hanging pot filled with green liquid he dipped some pieces of cloth into the green goo and laid them over Anakin's wounds.

"How long will the healing process take" Leo asked, Wag Too looked up at him a bit worried "He'll be right as rain by tomorrow, would you like me to take a look at that wound on your back" Wag Too offered, Leo shook his head "It's nothing" Leo looked up past Wag Too to see the healers father look into the doorway, Tee Wat Kaa was looking at Anakin, a confused look in his eye before he spotted Leo and his eyes hardened.

He entered into the pod, not taking his eyes off Leo "My son tells me, that you slew a creature, many creatures in fact" he said walking up behind his son "In defense of my comrades" Leo said back.

"Those creatures were once living beings, my son also told me you killed one and showed no remorse for it" Leo looked at Wag Too who turned away from the boys gaze Leo looked back at the Elder "I was following orders," Leo said still sitting in front of Anakin. "And were your orders to kill," Tee Watt asked him hardening his eyes at Leo who glared at the elder. Leo curled both his hands into fists "To protect my General" he growled trying to remain calm.

The village elder continued "Now, others are dead so that one could live" Leo tightened his fists enough for his knuckles to turn white, the ground his at the Lurmen "We too lost three of our own to those animals so that he could live" Leo said to lurmen "On what grounds can you justify such violence?" Leo heard the Lurmen said sternly Leos' fists were no trembling at the old lurmens words, Leos' nostrils were flaring at the elder's disrespect "How dare you..." Leo said standing up and looking down at Kaa as Aayla entered "Padawan, go outside." she said before Leo said something he would regret

The Lurmen elder looked at Leo before shaking his head in disappointment, "To the young, war is but a game" he said to Aayla "Forgive him, he told you of the men we lost?"

"He did indeed, but is the price worth it?" he asked Aayla, "Let us hope so," She said as Leo walked out and around the pod before he stopped. He smashed his fist into the pod wall cutting his knuckles and making his other fist tremble at how angry he was. Leo looked down at his hands still trembling with anger from Tee Watts words he held his hands together trying to calm his anger.

Later, overlooking the village on a hill, Ahsoka and Aayla were watching the sunset on the very long day they had just had. "You were right all along Master Secura" Ahsoka said hands on her knees as she sat on ground next to Aayla who leaned back on her hands in the dirt, also sitting "About what?" she asked the young girl "If I had stayed with Anakin" Ahsoka said picking up a rock off the ground "We probably wouldn't have found this village in time to save him" she said looking at the village, she stood up dropping the rock, she crossed her arms "and if Leo had come instead of me, those animals would have killed Anakin" she said taking several steps out in front of her uncrossing her arms.

"At least this whole ordeal is over with now," she said relaxing some, Aayla walked up next to her after getting up "We still have to find a way off this planet"

Ahsoka who was listening to Aayla, turned toward the sun "Well, I'm sure Admiral Yuralen and the Republic fleet are looking for us, it shouldn't take them long to get here" she said looking off into the distance, ready for tomorrow. Both Aayla and Ahsoka stood there in silence for a long time before Aayla said: "Come let us return".

Both Jedi re-entered the village within a few minutes Rex and Bly were both examining their weapons and their supplies. They both had their helmets off and were sitting on some crates when they saw the Jedi approaching they stood up and walked out to meet them. "Where's Leo" Ahsoka asked, Rex motioned over to the largest pod that Anakin was in "Haven't seen him" Rex said lowering his arm, "Ahsoka, go tend to your Master" Ahsoka did so walking over to the giant pod, she passed Tee Watt Kaa pass her, she turned around quickly "I know your upset about us being here, but we can't thank you enough for helping us" she said to him.

The old lurmen didn't even turn around he only turned his head slightly and said "Your fellow youngling seems to disagree" was all he said before heading back into the village. Ahsoka looked back at the large Pod were Anakin was in. She walked up to see Wag Too "Hows Anakin," she asked "He'll be fine in no time, I tried to offer the other Jedi aid, but he has refused me three times" Wag Too said holding up the cloth with the same stuff that was healing Anakin. Ahsoka snickered "Here, he just needs the right touch," she said holding out her hand. Wag Too handed her the cloth before she left the pod and walked around it looking for Leo before she saw him on the edge of the village his legs poking out from behind a pod.

"Leo… I wanted to apologize about yesterday, I was just" Ahsoka entered into the Pod with a smile before she saw the boy "…Leo" she dropped the cloth when she saw the boy. Leo had backed himself up against the wall of the Pod out of the light from the entrance, he had his left hand wrapped tightly around his right hand, the same one he had used the force to kill the mastiff. He had his head down, the orange locks hanging down over his head, he was grinding his teeth until Ahsoka approached him. She rested her hand gently on his shoulder "Leo… what's wrong" she asked him, Leo raised his head toward her "Those things… the birds" he said talking about the mastiffs, Ahsoka nodded at him "Yeah" she whispered to him "I killed them… all of them" he said to her quietly his hands still trembling, until he felt Ahsoka rest her right hand on the "Leo… tell me what's wrong, please" she begged him Leo looked at her then at Anakin "The first ones… I just killed because I saw them as a threat" he explained, while she listened "But the others… the others were different, when the first one hurt me I got mad, it wasn't about protecting the General" Leo said looking at Anakin who was fast asleep "I wanted… I wanted to-" he tried to say but he failed to find the words.

"To what?" she asked him, Leo looked her right in the eyes his green to her blue "I wanted to kill, to make them suffer to fear me," he said quickly, Ahsoka's jaw dropped but nothing came out "Jedi aren't supposed to kill… not like that, I know that but I…" Ahsoka stood up and walked away from him, he watched as she picked up the cloth with the healing nector on it she knelt down next to him and put the cloth on his back, he winced at the pain "Leo… I'm not sure what you felt" she said pressing the cloth on his back "But, I think if Anakin was awake right now, he'd say talking about it, is the first step would be talking about it" Leo looked back at Anakin until he looked at Ahsoka "Will you tell them, the Generals" Ahsoka shook her head "Not unless you don't want me to?" she asked Leo smiled at her "Thank you, Ahsoka".

"What's that?" He asked looking at the cloth "Some of the pod nectar, now I know you don't like it but it'll help with the pain and it won't get infected." she said as Leo gave in "fine." he whispered before he undid his robe and pulled off his shirt. Ahsoka turned away quickly hiding her flushed cheeks before he sat down his back toward her "Alright, go ahead."

Ahsoka sat down and started to dip her fingers into the medicine and trace it around his three new scars, she noticed he had a few more even for being only a youngling "That's uh, quite a collection you have."

"General Krell believes the best teacher can be when we fail, its why we practice with our lightsabers on full power." Ahsoka was taken back by Leo's training "That sounds, intense." she said as she covered his wounds "I know, but everything he did was to make me a better Jedi."

"Done." Ahsoka said finishing up, Leo picked up his tunic and put it back on before he took his original spot up to the pod and took a more relaxed position next to her "Wow that stuff does feel good." he said leaning his head on the pod and yawning about to fall asleep.

Ahsoka smiled "Told you, Leo you need to trust people more." she said as she also yawned.

"I trust you." He said with a smile before Ahsoka rested her lekku on his shoulder "Good, and you always can." she said as Leo felt his face get warm as she rested her "Ahsoka we-" he was cut off by the sound of Ahsoka, she was- she was snoring. Having run back and forth from the crash site to the camp had probably taken a great toll on her the same for Leo who had fought the mastiffs. He smiled as she looked so peaceful even if she was snoring so loud some of the hte Lurmen looked over at her trying to figure out the noise. Leo shrugged at them before he said "Goodnight Ahsoka."


	3. Defenders of Peace

**So I figured I might do Defenders of Peace, but if I want this story to have good protagonists we need better antagonists then Lok Durd so without further ado, also give me ideas of what episodes or stories you'd like to see I get bored easily. **

Republic forces in retreat! While rescuing General Aayla Secura from certain defeat, Anakin Skywalker has been seriously injured. After a narrow escape, our heroes crash-landed on the remote world of Maridun. Stranded, and with no way to contact the Republic, the Jedi receive medical aid from the peaceful Lurmen colonists. But even on this tiny planet, the war threatens to follow the Jedi...

The sun started to rise on the Lurmen Village, both Ahsoka and Leo were still fast asleep in the shadow of the pod. Someone had placed a blanket around both of them letting them at least fall asleep with some warmth. Ahsoka eyes fluttered open and she let out a low yawn before she noticed she was sleeping next to Leo. Looking up at him he seemed more peaceful when he was asleep, the idea of him being thought anything more than a youngling other than Berserker was nonapparent. Her eyes lingered around the features of his face the shape of his nose, cheeks, and lips till he began to stir. Ahsoka returned to get resting position so he wouldn't recognize she had been spying on him.

Leo looked at a 'sleeping' Ahsoka who kept her breathing to a soft pace not like her snoring from last night before Leo poked her in the face "Wake up."

Ahsoka slapped his hand away "I'm up- I'm up." She said kicking off the blanket and standing and stretching.

"Where'd this blanket come from?" Leo asked as Ahsoka rolled her shoulders "I don't know, glad it did though." She said as she noticed Ayala approaching the two.

Ahsoka smiled at the twi'lek Jedi, with Leo standing up beside her "Good morning Master Secura."

"Good morning Padawans, I trust you slept well?" She asked.

"Yes, ma'am." Leo replied hands at his side, Ahsoka giving him an annoyed stare at his seriousness "Ahsoka, go see to your master I'd like to speak with Leo alone."

"... of course Master." Ahsoka said before walking off leaving the two Jedi alone.

Leo looked up at Aayla who put her hands behind her back "Walk with me Padawan."

He did so mimic her hands behind the back posture as they started to walk out of the village "I saw your discontent with the chief of the village, at how he spoke to you." Aayla said as Leo recalled Wag Toos harsh words.

"Permission to speak freely ma'am?" Leo asked, Aayla stopped and turned around looking at Leo "Speak."

"The village elder can space himself for all I care, he can say whatever he likes about me but he spoke ill of the dead, our dead, the troopers." Leo replied harshly, Aayla was stoic at the sound of his words, she paused for a few seconds "As Jedi, death is a natural part of life one we must accept no matter how tragic, but to the villagers here life is sacred above all so to then this war is an affront to everything they believe." Aayla said back to him.

"The creatures you slew, they could sense your fear, when animals sense fear they sense weakness just why they attack," Aayla said as she looked out in the distance where both Leo and her saw a pride of mastiffs nesting on some rocks in the sun, one of them was looking right at them. The beast got up and slowly started to make its way toward them it's bird like eyes locked on to them. Leo reaches for his lightsaber as Aayla raised her hand to the beast.

"If you show fear Leo, it will fear you in turn." Aayla said as the mastiff approaches them. It was now only ten feet in front of them before closing the cap, sniffing Aaylas hand it pressed its head against her palm nuzzling against her palm.

"It is natural to be afraid of the unknown, but it is wiser to meet the unknown with open palm, then with an activated lightsaber." She said looking down at his lightsaber which he still had his hand on before she brought it up, making him remove his hand. She let go of the mastiff who ran back into the tall grasses with Leo left stunned.

Leo avoided her piercing gaze "You are strong Leo, and brave of that I have no doubt but do not let your desire to prove these things, hide your fear."

"Master, are you saying I should embrace my fear?" Leo asked.

Aayla listened before she paused "No, confront it, conqueror, it, then it can never be used against you, so Padawan what do you fear?"

"I-" "General!" Before Leo could speak, Commander Bly ran up to them "What is it, Commander?"

"General?" Bly said as Leo looked up to the sky where they saw a Separatist Droid troop transport heading down to the

"Yes, commander?" Aayla asked, "We've got a Separatist ship incoming, I sent Rex to tell General Skywalker." Aayla looked down at Leo "Come we need to hurry."

Aayla, Bly, and Leo sprinted across the colony to the made hut where Anakin was resting, with Rex already telling him, Ahsoka and Wag Too "Separatist incoming General Leo said."

"This is neutral space." Wag Too said to the rest of the group "It won't be neutral for long, not if the Separatists have their way, help me up." Anakin said as Rex and Bly started to help him to his feet but he seemed to still be too weak "Don't struggle, I'm sorry, but you're still too injured to move." Wag Too protested as Tee Watt Kaa barged into the hut.

"What menace have you brought to our village now, Jedi?" Kaa snapped with thunderous fury.

"Father, you can't blame them." Wag Too said trying to defend them.

"He's right, Separatists don't even know we're here." Ahsoka said, "And they can't know, we've got to hide." Anakin said staggering to get to his feet as Kaa was still upset with the situation "Your presence here endangers us, you must leave before your enemies find you."

Ahsoka looked stunned as Leo crossed his arms "But you'll need our help, you can't fight them alone." Kaa replies hands behind his orange robe.

"We will not fight them at all, we would rather die than to kill others." Kaa said firmly to the Jedi as Leo made a tsk noise from his teeth as Ahsoka continued to protest "You're going to surrender? - But how can you."

Aayla put a hand on her shoulder to stop her from saying anything rude "Ahsoka, stop, If the Lurmen want to remain neutral, we won't force them into war."

"See to it that they leave, I must see what our new visitors want," Kaa says to his son, Wag  
Too

Rex and Bly helped Anakin to his feet "Take it easy, sir, we'll assist you."

The Jedi snuck out of the rear of the village as Tee Watt Kaa approaches the droid ship as it landed. A series of fat droids marched out with large nemodian General exited the ship. He was fat and wide with big cheeks and footer on his neck beside him was a tactical battle droid and in the rear of the ship stood two black cloaked figure who watched from afar as Tee Watt Kaa approaches Lok Durd alone.

"Why must we protect this pompous fool Lady Ventress?" A man with pale skin, brown haired wearing a dark black tunic similar to Asajj ventresses gown and tunic "Our Master has given us his bidding Tol Skorr."

"My loyalty to the Count is beyond question Asajj, ever since he saved me from Korriban my life is his." Skorr said next to Asajj as she smiled at him "We shall see"

Meanwhile, Kaa walked up to the General who held up hid arm not in a friendly handshake but by one of grandstanding "I am General Lok Durd of the Separatist alliance."

"I am Tee Watt Kaa, leader of this colony, what do-" "You are now under the protection of the Separatist Alliance, I congratulate you on your good fortune." Lok Durd said, even though Tee Wat Kaa didn't seem to be very appreciative of the luck that it was.

"Thank you, but we enjoyed good fortune well before your arrival, we are a peaceful people, General, I do not condone your presence here." Kaa said as the droids and Durd walked past the village elder.

"Then stand aside." Lok laughed "I would like to inspect my new colony, ransack this dung heap." Lok ordered the battle droids started to swarm the village knocking over stands, breaking pots and shooting off their blasters at the structures forcing the lurmen to flee in terror.

Wag Too and the Republic forces watched in horror from the edge of the village "Why are they tearing apart our homes? We've done nothing to them!" Wag Too said as Ahsoka and Leo watched the carnage.

"Violence, that's what those droids are programmed for., can't we do anything?" Ahsoka asked, "No, and if we are discovered, all of the Lurmen will be slaughtered."

Leo locked onto the smug Lok Durd "We won't have to if we take out the General, battle droids won't be able to move without their leader, General?"

"Too risky, for now, we'll be okay if we make it to the tall grasses." Aayla said as they got up and ran out of the village. The droids have finished their sweep of the village before assembling in front of Lok Durd

"There is no evidence of any weapons or Republic contraband, General." A battle droid said.

"In the future, we may conduct more periodic searches like this one in order to maintain security." Lok said to the Lurmen who coward in fear "Because we are such an obvious threat to you, we'll offer no resistance." Kaa said without bowing his head.

"Your species is smarter than you appear." Lok said walking away heading back to there ship.

Inside the colony the droids had left, letting Wag Too ran up to his father as the villagers started to recover "Father, are you okay, At least the Jedi escaped."

"Yes, but they nearly brought harm to our entire village," Kaa said walking back toward his house while Wag Too looked at him in disgust.

"But now, thanks to you, we're safe to grovel before every petty tyrant who enters our system." Wag protested

"You would mock our very way of life? I have just ensured we will have peace."

"Yes, but for the moment, and at what price, are you not concerned about the Jedi at all?" Wag Too asked him.

Kaa turned around slowly looking his son in the eye "I have no quarrel with the Jedi, but we cannot help them without being drawn into their war." Kaa said before he walked off ending the conversation.

Wag Too looked at one of the other younger Lurmen, "Tub, track the Jedi, follow them and make sure they get off world." The Lurmen named tub gave a salute before rolling into a ball and chasing after where the Jedi had gone.

A good distance away, the Jedi and clones had escaped into the safety of the grasses "You know, I can't figure those villagers not wanting to fight, no pride I guess." Rex said under his helmet while Bly nodded

"I call it no courage." Ahsoka sneered as she crossed her arms.

"Sometimes it takes courage to stick to one's beliefs, young padawan, as any Jedi well knows." Aayla said making Ahsoka feel ashamed of her own ignorance she looked at Leo who was standing a short distance away "What do you think Leo, Leo?"

The boy jumped turning around "Huh what?"

"The Lurmen wanting us to leave, what do you think." She asked hand on her hip "... I'm not sure Ahsoka, we can't do anything about it now." Anakin said as he sat up "We need to find a ship, and I think the only one around here belongs to the Separatists."

As he spoke the Jedi got to work coming up with a plan "We know they have a landing ship, they might have a shuttle." Skywalker guessed as Rex held up hid blaster.

"Sir, you talking about stealing from one of the clankers? Count me in." Rex said confidently

"We need to find them first." Leo said scratching his chin, as Ahsoka looked up from the grasses to see a separatist probe droid "I think we just did, look!"

"Blast it!" Ahsoka barked at the clone who opened fire but the probe was to fast zipping around their blaster fire before it flew into the tall grasses "Jam its signal!" Anakin ordered, "After it!" Anakin ordered about to give his own chase but collapsed do to his injuries, Leo caught him before he fell

"I'm fine, just go!" Anakin ordered the boy who took chase after it.

"Which way did it go?" Ahsoka asked as they ran into the grass, Leo came up beihnd them "This way." Aayla said as she spotted the probe "Hurry! We can't catch it if it gets out in the open." Aayla said as Leo ran up next to Ahsoka and gave her a look "Ahsoka!" he yelled using the force to grab the probe and hurl it toward her to slice the probe in half.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief "I wonder where it was headed." Aayla said as they looked around "Maybe we can see them from up there." Ahsoka said pointing up to one of the giant trees.

On the other side if the valley, both Asajj and Tol Skorr were looking at a holographic image of Leo and Ahsoka before the transmission was cut. "Interesting." Asajj said biting her lip with anticipation "Very, interesting."

Later, the jedi and clones had climbed to the top of the trees, "I hope you're feeling better, Master, 'cause look what we found." Ahsoka said looking through a pair of binoculars as Anakin chuckled taking them "I'm getting stronger all the time, snips…." Anakin looked in dismay to see the separatist troop transport, had been surrounded by giant walls with droids on every corner guarded by a droid "...but I'm not sure I'm ready for that." he said looking around the base to see a Separatist Shuttle standing in the back of the base "Bingo, that shuttle's our ticket off this rock." Anakin said as Rex looked at the base too.

"It's not gonna be easy, sir, there don't seem to be any flaws in their security line." he handed the binoculars to Leo, "Standard listening outpost, guarded on all four sides, I'm guessing two-three hundred battle droids at most?"

"At most huh?" Ahsoka said not very amused at how lax Leo was being "Uh General." Leo said handing Anakin back the binoculars when he saw a Separatist Tank with a modified cannon.

"Apparently, the Separatists have a new toy." Anakin said looking at it "Bly, see if you can get a closer look."

"Yes, sir." Bly said before Rex spoke up too "I'll go with you, Commander."

Both clones, Rex and Bly had moved down the branch of the tree and started to slide down the vines, Leo kept looking at the strange weapon. It was a large canon with a yellow tint to it, the cannon had an extended barrel and large support system around it. "Looks like an artillery weapon, maybe even a railgun?" Leo said as he handed it to Anakin "Railgun, no that's not Separatist style."

"So, while I was out what did I miss?" Anakin asked as they watched Rex and Cody start to move closer to the weapon.

Leo looked right at Ahsoka who shared his glare knowing he was worried she might tell Anakin of their conversation that previous night. "Your padawns performed admirably Skywalker, Ahsoka was invaluable helping us track down the Lurmen and Leo never left your side when you were hurt." Aayla said getting Anakin's attention and making the man smiling down at the two kids "That's high praise Snips, Rusty." Anakin said making both Leo and Ahsoka glare at his praise connected with some famous Skywalker wit.

"Skywalker?" Aayla asked him confused at what he meant "Don't let them start they'll come up with a nickname for you too." Leo said as Aayla finally started to get it.

She chuckled, then she cupped her mouth before she started to fight back overwhelming laughter that finally broke out from her fingers "What's so funny Master Secura?" Ahsoka asked, "I was wondering why Ahsoka called you Skyguy, Skywalker now it makes sense, Master Windu's nickname was much worse."

Both Ahsoka and Leo turned around at Aayla with wide eyes eager to hear it.

While the Jedi spoke, and the clones scouted, Lok Durd stood on top the battlements in his new fortress at an assembly of battle droids, with two of the droid carrying a large capsule similar to the weapon "Is the defoliator capsule ready?" The droids looked up at him and nodded before loading the capsule into the new weapon "Today is a grand day for the Separatist cause, we test a new weapon of my own design which is capable of catastrophic destruction, a weapon which will destroy organic matter but leave machines unharmed" Lok Durd said to his army.

"But first, we need two volunteers, the volunteers are you and you," he said pointing randomly into the crowd of droids as he did the two they looked at one another.

"Me?" The first one said.

"Me?" the other echoed.

General Lok Durd extended his arm and pointed towards the direction of Bly and Rex, "Go to that ridge." the nemodian ordered, behind them inside the base hiding in the troop transport were both Tol and Asajj "Should we warn General Durd about the Jedi?" Tol asked standing behind Asajj who was sitting in the commander's chair looking at the hologram of Leo and Ahsoka, rewinding it to reveal Aayla, Bly, Rex, and Anakin she clicked her tongue when she saw "Skywalker."

"What?" Tol Skorr asked as he walked up to her and saw the holographic recording of Anakin "Anakin Skywalker, the chosen one, he looks hurt?" Tol said enthusiastically, Asajj smiled sharing in it leaning back in her chair "Not just that, he only has two clones with him, "They must have crashed here form the battle which cost the Republic a fleet."

"He's here alone, no clone army only a few children, two clones and-" "And Jedi Master Aayla Secura, don't let the twi'lek fool you she's deadly, we need to be smart set a trap." Asajj said scratching her chin.

Tol Skorr didn't seem convinced "I haven't forgotten Master Secura, I was a jedi once Asajj."

"Oh?" she asked turning around in her chair to look at him "Any qualms about killing your Jedi brethren?" she asked, Tol only smiled at her and leaned in "No, I plan to revel in it."

Asajj smiled back and pushed him back "Then, for now, we watch and wait, let the good General play with his new toy, I sense Skywalker will do something… dramatic." She said as Tol got confused "Dramatic?"

"Trust me, when Skywalker's involved and if Kenobi's not with him, it's dramatic," Asajj said as they watched the test.

The two droids had walked out into the field on the ridge, not far from where Rex and Bly were scouting, they stopped just before the droids could see them and were about to shoot before Anakin held his communicator "Stay down, boys."

Lok Durd saw the droids were a safe distance away and started to activate his holographic communicator "Count Dooku, I have located a world in which we can test my Excuse me, our new weapon." Durd said as the image of Count Dooku, leader of the Separatists appeared "I hope it turns out to be worth the expense."

"You may proceed," Dooku said coldly even in the holographic form he cast a menacing presence on Durd who gulped.

"Yes, my Lord, ready?" General Durd said looking at his tatical droid who nodded and gave a deep voiced "Roger, roger."

The cannon raised from the modified tank arm, as Lok Durd raised his arm and slammed it forward "Aim-Fire!"

Like a clap of thunder the capsule loaded into the cannon shot out hundreds of feet into the air a trail of smoke dragging behind it as the droids saw the shell in coming "Should we take cover?" the droid asked his other, "No, idiot, that is not even gonna hit us."

The clones on the other side, which were entirely organic started to run before the shell crashed into the ground exploding a ring of fire that started to scorch everything in its path, both Bly and Rex held up their blaster shooting grapple hooks at the towering tree, Rex's hit and yanked him up but Bly's miss.

Aayla reacted without a second thought she drew her lightsaber and sliced a vine and jumped off the high branches swinging down to scoop Bly up before they returned to the same branch "Whoa." Leo said looking at Aayla.

"That's some toy It took out every living thing." Anakin said in total shock at the destruction caused by the new weapon, everything with a thousand mile radius had been singed black, with Lok Durd standing on top his fortress with a gleeful smile on his face "As you can see, the landscape has been destroyed, and the droids are undamaged." he said pointing out to the two droids who were unharmed as he said.

"Impressive, but now, we need to know how effective this weapon will be against living creatures." Dooku suggested "Of course, I specifically chose this planet because it is inhabited. Durd said as both Tol and Asajj listened in "The colonists will make excellent test subjects, proceed then, I eagerly await the results." Dooku cut the transmission

"Prepare to move out!" Lok Durd said as all the droids stood at attention and the base began to empty out, tanks and droids both.

The Jedi and clones saw the droids on the march with Ahsoka asking "Where are they off to now?"

"They must be going back to the Lurmen village"

Aayla started to fear the worst when she said: "There's nothing else in that direction, those villagers won't stand a chance."

Anakin looked down at the base seeing the majority of its defenders were leaving the bae, "First we'll take out the droids' communication station after we get a shuttle, we'll go back and help them." Anakin ordered.

"But Tee Watt Kaa said he doesn't need our help?" Ahsoka asked him.

Anakin turned around to look at her with a stern gaze "There's a difference between pulling innocents into a war and leaving them to extinction."  
"Why?" Leo asked getting everyone's attention "Why Leo?" Anakin asked "They don't want our help, sir." he replied to Anakin "Because we're Jedi, we won't let someone slaughter innocents just so he can do it again, that's why."

Anakin and Leo locked eyes, and even though he said nothing Anakin could see Leo wasn't convinced, "Everyone gets some rest, we attack as soon as the suns down."

The sun was already at the beginning of setting, the surviving Republic forces all got comfy in the tree branch with Rex and Bly checking their weapon supplies again, Anakin, Aayla, and Ahsoka were deep in meditation. Except for Leo who was looking down at the base leaning on a tree branch that was stuck upward, Ahsoka cracked an eye open and looked at Leo then at Anakin who was motionless like a stone. Slowly she got up and headed over to Leo "You okay?"

"Something doesn't feel right about this?" Leo said looking at the base "Yeah, two clones, three Jedi versus a whole army what could go wrong." Ahsoka joked with the sun sinking beneath the shadow of the horizon turning the sky from orange to a deep purple almost black.

"No, something, darker." Leo said with the sun disappearing leaving them in darkness.

Later, the strike team had gone into action, Anakin, Rex, and Bly were approaching from the left side of the base, Leo, Ahsoka and Aayla the left staying low to the ground. The base itself was lit up with strobe lights searching the perimeter. A few battle droid patrolled the perimeter, outside the walls but kept close to it just in case. Anakin was that case as he used the force to chuck a stone up to one of the droids "Hey, what was that?" one of the droids said reaching for the stone.

Anakin made the stone move across the first, forcing the droid to follow it into the tall grasses before Anakin tore the droids head off. Anakin and the other two clones ran up to the wall with Anakin propelling them up onto the walls, Aayla did the same with the padawans.

"Get to the door, I'll handle the droids." Anakin ordered the clones who started to move through the base.

"Check the exterior, then sabotage the system," Aayla ordered both padawans who started to run through the base like flood waters turning on their lightsabers to take out the droids before turning them off to blend in with the shadows. Leo and she reached the communication center and looked at one another before Ahsoka held up her lightsaber and smiled, Leo turned his own and they proceeded to turn the system into scrap before running out of it leaving a charred ruin behind.

They joined Aayla, Anakin and the others at the shuttle before Rex stopped seeing two shield generators left unguarded in the middle of the base "Shield generator, sir, Let's take 'em with us..." Anakin started to trail off when he spotted a ship in the corner of the base, A ginvex-class starfighter, shaped like fans, that could stretch out a solar sail, similar to the one on Count Dooku's Solar Sailer. They resembled aggressive Geonosian air patrol skimmers and as a result, the Ginivex-class starfighters were informally dubbed 'Fanblades' for their most distinctive feature. The slim, elegant vessel had an iridescent fan-like wing extending from its dorsal and ventral surface. The wing could fold inward to hide flush with the ship's body.

"Wait, I know that ship." Anakin gasped taking out his lightsaber, as somebody dropped down from on top of the ship "Skywalker we must go." Aayla said as everyone got on board, they activated the shuttle before flying off with Asajj and Tol watching the whole thing.

Tol grimaced at the sight of the Jedi escaping "Why did we let them go, we could have ambushed them?"

"Patience Tol, if we want to hurt the Jedi we need to know their plan, we saw them take the shield generators, so they'll return to the Lurmen Village, we will join General Durd and his forces, then your revelries can begin," Asajj said as she reached into her cloak and pulled out a holodevice to contact Lok Durd.

The Jedi raced back to the village, soaring past the droids unnoticed in the sky before they were back where they started, landing right in the middle of the colony of lurmen who gathered around their ship "Everyone, please, please listen." Aayla called out to them to get their attention "The Separatists will be here in moments." Anakin added as Tee Watt Kaa came out from whatever hole he was hiding his head in "What are you doing here? I told you not to return." he snapped.

"I'm afraid the Separatists don't care whether you're in the war or not." Aayla said every word covered in sorrow "We need to get you to safety before they arrive." Ahsoka said to the Lurmen.

"We will not abandon our homes." Kaa said firmly "But they've got a new weapon, it'll burn this place to a crisp." She said gesturing to the village.

"Is this what all of you really want?" she asked as Leo curled his hands into fists before Kaa had one more thing to say "If it is our destiny to be destroyed in your war, so be it."

"COWARD!" Leo roared walking toward Kaa, pushing past Bly and Rex "Leo stop." Anakin ordered, "No I'm sorry General but I can't listen to this arrogant old fool anymore, you think hiding behind your beliefs will save you, abandoning your people just to prove a point." Leo held his hand up towards the other Lurmen swiping it across "You lead these people here to keep them safe, now you're leading them to ruin because your too proud to fight back you-" "Padawan, that's enough!" Anakin snapped as Leo looked up at Anakin before he pulled away and stepped back.

As Leo calmed down, Rex looked up at at the horizon to see the droids were in sight "Droids inbound, we've got eight minutes tops." Rex said to Anakin.

"Come on, guys, let's get these shield generators in place!" Anakin ordered as they took the shield generators out of the ship and started to put them in place "Leo, wait, I want you in the flank of the village." Anakin said stopping Leo from following the others.

"What, but General I should be with you in the vanguard." Leo said as Anakin looked at him sternly "Your outburst showed poor discipline Leo, if the battle calls for it I'll have you join us but for now you'll protect our rear." Leo was obviously upset "Yes General." Leo said walking off to the other side of the village.

Meanwhile, the droid army drew closer and closer to the colony with Lok Durd enjoying the march, when he saw two separatist speeder bikes pull up, "Ah, Lady Ventress Lord Skorr come to see the presentation, when Count Dooku sees how successful my weapon is against civilian targets, I will no doubt be promoted to a more Substantial position within the alliance.  
Right." General Durd said to the two acolytes who were neither impressed or as happy to see Lok Durd.

"Take hart General, you might have some trouble with that." Asajj said as Lok Durd looked up at the village to see something about it was different, "You there what's going on?" Durd asked one of his droids who had a set of binoculars "Well, the villagers appear to have put some pods together - in a barrier around the village." the droid said back to Lok Durd who laughed taking the occular device.

"Pods? How quaint- Jedi?" General Durd dropped the binoculars and looked to Asajj and Tol "What are they doing out here?"

Asajj and Tol smirked at one another "It appears they are on to you General, perhaps they fear what you will become."

General Durds fear was replaced with overwhelming pride "Wh-why yes, of course, come now my friends let us destroy these Jedi." he boasted as Asajj looked at Tol "Go, now I will handle Skywalker and Secura, while there distracted by our front attack the village from behind." Asajj said to Tol who nodded "I can't wait." Tol chuckled speeding off around the village.

A front of the colony, Anakin, Aayla, and Ahsoka was using the force to put the pods from the great trees to make a barrier, much to Kaa's disapproval "Halt! Pray to stop what you're doing."

"Stop building that wall, I did not ask you to defend us." Kaa barked at the Jedi, one who had also had enough of Kaa's pretentious preaching "This battle is inevitable, you can stand by your beliefs, but let us stand by ours." Aayla said to him before Kaa scoffed at them and returned to the village, even though he did Wag Too didn't he walked up to the Jedi.

"Thank you for what you're trying to do, I m sorry, but I cannot help, my father is very strong willed and set in tradition many others agree with me, but we were raised under a very strict code, we must respect it, even if we don't agree." Wag Too said in an apologetic tone before following his father back to the village.

On the other side of the field, the droid army had stopped "They're holding position." Rex said down to Anakin on top of a pod "They're not going to charge us, not if they can hit us from long range first." Anakin said up to him.

"But if we can withstand that weapon, we'll draw them in." He added as he saw Lok Durd start to bar korder "Prepare to fire!" the droids obeyed his command without question loading another capsule into the defoilator "Goodbye, Jedi -Fire!" Durd said signaling the blast before the jedi watched the capsule explode out of the cannon heading straight for them.

"Incoming!" Bly yelled "Power the shields!" Both Ahsoka and Rex turned on the shields in the base casting ray of energy into the sky before it fountained up top and fell around the village in a protective shield, the new weapon exploded outside the village surrounding the entire area in a ring of fire but thanks to the shield left the area unharmed. "Now they'll have to get their hands dirty and meet us face-to-face," Anakin said smugly.

General Durd snarled as he saw the weapon had no effect "Squad one, prepare to charge." he ordered the droids, the first wave got into formation "Prepare to charge." the droid commander said "Charge!"

"That's a lot of clankers," Rex said behind them.

"We got to stop them before they get through that shield," Anakin said walking out of the shield with Aayla and Ahsoka, all three of them turned on their lightsabers with Rex and Cody covering from behind. The first battalion of droids rushed forward blasters blazing with the jedi cutting into them. Anakin hacked and chopped his way across the battlefield, Aayla and Ahsoka moved through the droids cutting them in half and slicing them into scrap.

"That wasn't so tough." Ahsoka said with relief "That was just the first wave." Anakin said looking to the rest of the droid army.

"Five, four, three, two, one, zero." Lok Durd said through the binoculars "Sir, the first squad has been destroyed." his second in command said.

Durd smashed his fat fist into the side of his tank, "Squad two and three, attack, Lady Ventress y-you will lead the charge." Asajj smiled as she pressed a button on her wrist and started to walk forward "As you wish General." she dropped her cloak and started to walk forward with the droids in parade formation passing by them to reveal herself to the jedi "Is that who I think it is?" Ahsoka asked looking up at Asajj "The assassin who stole Jabba's son, Asajj Ventress." Anakin growled seeing her "Leave the Assassin to me Skywalker, you are in no shape to fight her."

"Ahsoka, let's focus on the droids." Anakin said next to her "I'm with till the end Skyguy, let let me know if we need to call Rusty."

Leo could hear the sounds of the battle in the distance and paced back and forth lightsaber in hand squeezing it tightly. Suddenly he heard the grass start to whistle and turned around to see Tol Skorr standing before him "Greetings youngling." The dark sided said with an evil grin. His robes were covered with dark armor on his shoulders, arms, and boots, his long brown hair was hung limply around his shoulders with the shadows around Tol Skorr's eyes were more noticeable.

"Who are you." Leo asked holding up his lightsaber and turning it on, "My name is Tol Skorr youngling, I was once a jedi like you till the order abandoned me now I serve the man who rescued me, Count Dooku."

Jericho growled hearing the name Dooku "So you're not just a separatist, you're a traitor." Leo hissed "I'm complicated." Tol Skorr said taking out his lightsaber, it glowed red humming above the ground as Skorr pointed it at Leo, then the boys wrist communicator that was tied onto his hands under green wrappings "Leo, we've got incoming is there anything on your side, droids and a dark sider, anything on your side?" Anakin asked him.

Tol smirked at Leo which made him press the response button "Just a few droids, nothing I can't handle sir."

"Finish up there and join us when you can." Anakin said before they cut the transmission with Tol Skorr walking toward Leo "A brave one aren't you."

Leo said nothing but rushed at Tol Skorr jumping up to lock lightsabers.

Back with the others, Aayla and Ventress had lightsabers locked, in epic combat as the droids marched past them to attack Anakin and Ahsoka who held their ground as best they could, but the droids started to close in around them on all sides pushing them back.

"Snips, get back to the village, get Leo!" Anakin ordered "I'll take care of the new weapon."

Ahsoka ran back into the shield as Anakin used the force to blast a path across the remaining droids running past them while they were in the air and cutting them to tin. Ahsoka ran back into the shield, with Rex and Bly on the pods shooting at any droid who came through the shield past Anakin"We have to retreat!" Ahsoka called up to the clones jumping over the pods, the clone slid off the back with Bly yelling "Take cover, they've breached the shield!"

The droids started to flood into the gap in the pod barricade, but Ahsoka and the clones used the choke point to their advantage holding back the droids, while Leo faced Tol Skorr. He was smashed back into a hut by Tol Skorr who walked into the village like nothing Leo had done had fazed him. Leo got up coughing before he resumed his stance "You have stamina youngling, I'll give you that."

Spitting at the ground Leo rusher Tol Skorr and hit him with a flurry of attacks from all sides. Tol either dodged or parried most of than before Tol stepped to the side and delivered his knee right into Leo's gut knocking the wind out of him. The boy fell into the dirt like a sack of rocks coughing up what air he had left while trying to swallow it back down.

"I expected more." The man said as he raised his hand and grabbed Leo by the neck choking him with the force.

Tol flung Leo into one of the hallowed our pods before slamming him on the ground and dragging him across the ground before lifting him up again "I could just kill you, but where's the fun in that." Tol said as he flexed his pinky to make Leo's right arm extend erect at his side forcing his palm to open "Grrlll—" Leo tried to resist but he was too stunned to focus.

"Let's start with the fingers." Tol said as Leo heard his bones pop before he felt his index finger bend back before snapping "Hnnnnnn!" Leo screamed through a closes mouth biting his lip to hide his pain "One down, ten to go." Tol said as he started to bend back Leo's thumb.

"Retreat," Ahsoka called out to the clones stepping backward as the droids started to be too many.

Rex and Bly fell back before they saw Leo being tortured by Tol Skorr "Commander Rock!" Rex yelled drawing both his blaster pistols and running right at Tol shooting at him forcing Tol to drop Leo and deflect Rex's shots before they could reach him, he forces pushed Rex away smashing him into Bly. Leo saw his chance grabbing his lightsaber Leo yelled attacking Tol with his lightsaber and slicing the man right across the cheek "Gah, brat!

Tol force blasted Leo directly into a Tee Watt Kaa's and Wag Too pod through it, Kaa was totally caught off guard by the Jedi falling in front of him bleeding and partially broken. Tol walked in his cheek with a fresh scar he grabbed Leo by the hair "No!" Wag Too leaped at the Sith and was swatted away like a fly "Insect you are all beneath me." He barked as he smashed Leo onto the ground. He dropped him before raising him up in the air arms spread with the force "I could kill you with a simple thought, but then you decided to grow a pair so this is going to hurt and I'm going to enjoy it." Tor said as he squeezed his hand into a fist focusing around Leo's right elbow snapping it "AAAAHHH!"

Rex and Bly got up bruised seeing Leo at the man's mercy, his scream echoing across the village "Generals, there are another one of those red blades here, he's attacking Leo!"

Anakin was halfway through the army of droids between him and Lok Durd, Aayla heard them while Asajj smiled at hearing it.

"Leo…" Anakin said looking back before he sensed a droid about to shoot him from behind, he sliced it down before looking right at Lok Durd, "This ends now."

In the colony, Ahsoka used the force to repel a dozen droids before she retreated again, to see Tol breaking Leo's bones "LEO!" She screamed running at Tol Skorr who sensed her coming and held up his lightsaber while still holding Leo in his force grip "Another one, is the Jedi so desperate they have children fight their battles?"

"No, are you that much of a coward you attack people from the back?" Ahsoka asked as she countered his blade and got around him forcing Tol to drop Leo and focus on her. The man took massive swings and steps which Ahsoka dodged gracefully using her small size to dance around him. They locked lightsabers again before Tol grabbed her by the lekku and smashed the but of his lightsaber into her face "Pathetic, I'd think the Jedi would have taught you children anything."

The stunned Ahsoka felt Tol knock out the feet from under her and drive his saber down toward her. The Padawan saw him coming and rolled out of the way just in time to get back to her feet, her right eye already sporting a red bruise.

She was on her feet, at the ready but so was Tol Skorr who rose towering over the girl. "You seem like you'll lose more of a challenge." Tol said smiling as he approached her "Oh I'm more than enough for you ugly."

She jumped up engaging him, Tol spun around blocking each of her slices and parties before he stuck his leg out tripping her "Perhaps I was wrong." Ahsoka stumbled forward and crashed into one of the stands of pots before she could get to her feet she found herself looking right into the face of Tol Skorrs lightsaber. Across from them, Leo had managed to come too, he gapped seeing Ahsoka at Tol's Mercy.

"Little Padawan should know what it means to challenge there betters, and the best lessons come..." Tol stuck his lightsaber right into Ahsoka's shoulder melting away the flesh making her scream echo all the way across the village to Anakin "Ahsoka!"

The scream burned into Leo's mind like fire as every sound and thing melted away till only he saw Ahsoka, Tol Skorr and his lightsaber. It was all erased by the sound of a Mastiff earth-shattering roar in the distance. Tol Skorr smiled as Ahsoka screamed before a cannonball of force energy smashed into him sending him across the village and into one pod hut out of the other end. The dark acolytes got to his feet lightsaber at the ready "Skywalker? Secura?" He asked looking up and through the whole, in the hut, he had passed through he saw Leo on his feet lightsaber in his left hand while his broken right arm dangled limply like his head. Leo's head rose and when it did the wind started to blow a different way, as a ripple was passed from one Jedi to the next.

"What..." Tol said as Leo raised his lightsaber arm and flicked two fingers lifting up one of the empty pod huts and throwing it at him. Tol had to jump out of the way to save himself only to see Leo already on him he held his lightsaber down in a reverse grip, Tol raised his lightsaber to block and when he caught the white laser sword. The acolyte was forced down to his knee even though he was twice as big as Leo. The Padawan lifted his leg and swung it around smashing into Tol Skorr skipping him across the ground.

Tol got up gasping "What- What are you?" He gasped as Leo raised his head again he sniffed the air rolled his shoulders and kept his torso swaying side to side like a beast.

Charging toward Tol, Leo kicked up dirt and kept himself low before he leaped up aiming for Tol's neck, but Skol blocked before he could cut the man's head off. Landing on the ground he rolled back onto his feet to try again pouncing and striking like the Mastiffs he rounded back toward Tol who watched him carefully saw Leo run at him suddenly and leaped up sparking his lightsaber off Tol's who to keep up with

Even Ventres and Aayla felt it before it reached Anakin "Do you feel that Jedi?" Ventress said, "I feel it... assassin what did you do!" Aayla yelled as she looked back at her but he was totally caught off guard by the expression on the assassin's face, it wasn't the venomous smile she had when playing with her pray or the battle-hardened snarl of a Sith Warrior, no this was something else something Anakin had never seen before on the face of Asajj Ventress, fear.

In the colony, the almost possessed Leo had locked lightsabers with Tol Skor, the full-grown man was holding his lightsaber with both arms trembling pushing against Leo's white laser sword with only one arm that wasn't even twitching. "Where- where did this power come from."

Across from the droids had reached both shield generators, Ahsoka watched the droids destroy "Their shield is down, launch another shell." General Durd cried before one of his droids noticed Anakin coming right at them without anything seeming to be able to stop the jedi "Sir, there's a Jedi heading right for us."

"Then blast him, you idiot! No survivors." Lok Durd yelled as Anakin started to fight his way through the remaining droids in front of him.

In the village, Leo turned his rage on the droids in the village, using the force to through six droids at once into one of the huts, cutting down others before using the force on one to rip it apart limb from limb. When some Lurmen were cowering behind cover, battle droids trying to kill them Ahsoka stood up using her good arm to get between the droids and lurmen to deflect their shots.

Inside the safer parts of the village, Wag too watched the jedi and clones fighting so fiercely, before he couldn't stand it any longer "What are we doing, this is our home!" He snapped at his fellow Lurmen, as his father looked at his son in shock the young lurmen held up his paw "We can't be afraid to defend it, come on!" he said running out of from safety.

"Wag Too, what are you doing?" Kaa snapped "We're going to help." Wag Too aid back pulling away from his father "No, I forbid this." Kaa argued back.

"What more would you have them do before we are allowed to defend ourselves-" he asked, "The jedi are ready to give everything, even their lives to help us even after you turned them away."

"But-" the Lurmen chief was cut off again "We have to do this." Wag Too said rolling up into a ball and sped towards the droids, he and the other lurmen started to tangle up the droids in the vines they used on the mastiffs making them a trip, their small bodies to fast for the droids targeting system. When the droids hit the ground Ahsoka ran up and cut their heads off as Leo handled the super battle droids jumping from one to the other smashing his boot into their armor or cutting them down with his lightsaber. Till only a few were left being picked off by Rex and Bly, leaving Leo to look at Tol Skorr who growled seeing his forces wiped out.

When Leo started to walk toward him, the man grunted "Fine, come then you filthy little beast." he said he used the force to propel himself off the ground yelling he brought his lightsaber down swiftly like a hammer on an anvil, Leo didn't even move as it came right toward him before the last second his arm caught the lightsaber still only using one arm even as the sheer force of Tol Skorr's blow kicked up dust, Leo didn't even buckle.

"I… I don't believe it." Tol Skorr gasped.

Neither of them would get to start the rematch as Lok Durd's droids loaded one last pod "Fire, fire fire!" Lok Durd yelled before Anakin was almost there, he kept hitting the fire button on the tank over and over till the capsule was solved inside, the barrel exploded sending another shell overhead heading directly for the center of the village "No!" Anakin cried.

"Durd you fool." Tol Skorr said seeing the shell reaching higher in the sky before it started to fall "We have to run." Wag too said, "We can't." Ahsoka said as Tee Watt Kaa closed his eyes and sighed "Then it's as I've feared… it is our fate to be destroyed." The lurmen prepared for the worse as Ahsoka looked over at Leo, his arm raised toward the shell, time seemed to slow she didn't even notice Tol Skorr starting to run out of the village back to the tall grass from once he came to his speeder bike. Tol jumped on just as the capsule was about to hit- when Leo suddenly let out another yell, Ahsoka felt the force erupt out of him like a geyser shooting up to the capsule that made contact with it, a sudden bright flash appeared over the village blinding everyone for a few seconds from Lok Durd to Tol Skorr who was in full retreat. Asajj took her chance too and started to run away.

In the village, Ahsoka held her arm up to shield her eyes, she peeked out to see Leo's silhouette above the blinding light. She started to walk toward the flash, she saw him starting to get pushed back before she came up behind him, and held her hand around his arm channeling the force through it, giving him the push to make the defoliator capsule shell ricocheted off Leo's force blast hundreds of feet into the sky where it burst in another fiery explosion the size of a ship.

"Impossible!" Durd said as Anakin sighed in relief before turning his head to look at Lok Durd "Uh oh… Help I'll be defoliated!" Durd said jumping out of the tank and starting to run away before Anakin used the force to catch up and jump over the General blocking his escape "uuuhhh There goes my promotion."

"The weapon has been disabled, and I've caught the General, status report." Anakin said "Understood General, we're all okay… well most of us anyway." Rex said as he looked over at Ahsoka and Leo passed out in the dirt out cold from the battle.

Anakin looked up fearing the worse "I'm on my way."


	4. Recovery at the Temple

Leo's eyes open like the lid off a coffin to see a white light in front of him "Am I... am I dead?"

"Humph Don't be so dramatic." Someone said as Leo looked up to see Anakin sitting in a chair in front of him. "General!" Leo rose, he sat up and grabbed his right arm which was in a cast and sling, he was wearing white medical robes with additional bandages over cuts and bruises. The Anakin got up and pushed the boy back down "Take it easy, the bacta needs time to sink in."

"... The colony, General Skywalker, Ahsoka are they-" "Fine, everyone is fine Padawan, it's you we're worried about." Anakin said standing up straight hands behind his back

"What?" Leo asked concerned "I don't understand?"

Anakin gave the boy a perplexing look of concern "Do you not remember anything?" He asked.

Leo shook his head "No sir, I remember the village, the Sith who attacked us, what he did." Leo said his wrapped up arm twitching slightly as he remembered the pain of his arm being broken "Ahsoka came to help me, then she was screaming and I passed out... after that here."

Anakin's eyes got wide "Why, did something happen?" Leo asked.

"... that remains to be seen, for now rest a bit." Anakin said turning around "Sir this wound won't slow me down-" "Rest Leo, that's an order." Anakin said leaving the medical room.

"Yes sir, but before you go where are we?"

The Jedi Knight looked back at him confused "The Temple, on Coruscant."

Anakin left Leo alone walking out into the temple hallway where Masters Aayla Secura, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Shaak Ti, and Yoda. "Well?" Windu asked Anakin who took a deep breath before the conclave of masters began to walk and talk.

"He has no memory of the episode Masters, I don't know what could have brought it on other than sheer instinct." Anakin said as Windu walked up next to him "But as you and Master Secura said, you felt an overwhelming sense of dark side energy?"

Anakin shook his head "No I said I sensed and an overwhelming sense of anger, rage, and pain."

"Which are attributes of the dark side." Windu said making Anakin stop dead in his tracks and give Mace Windu a look that could kill.

"With all due respect Master, Leo had his entire right arm shattered, a Sith Warrior was about to kill him and my Padawan, he saved not only her but the entire village and why do I get the feeling that doesn't make you happy, Master Windu?" Anakin asked locking eyes and horns with the Battlemaster.

Both men stopped standing off against one another "Your concern is noted Skywalker, but my concern is with the well being of our order, have we had word from his actual Master?" Mace asked the other Jedi.

"Master Krell's fleet is currently engaged with Separatist forces in the Mygeeto system, we found it best to wait." Master Ti said.

"Agreed, wait on Master Krell we shall hear from the two troopers who were present we should." Master Yoda advised getting all the Jedi to listen.

Obi-Wan nodded "I concur, in the meantime Masters we should all meditate on this."

The Masters dispersed as Anakin started to walk with his Master "Anakin you must be more careful with how you address the Council."

"They're acting like Leo did something wrong Master, the boy saved hundreds of lives." Anakin protested to his master.

"You all did, but you must understand Anakin, power such as this is rare in the Jedi, you should know," Obi-Wan said to his former apprentice.

Anakin stopped just next to a window overlooking the city "But you taught me all things are possible with the force master." He asked him.

"I did, but just because things are possible doesn't mean we should." The Jedi Master said walking past the hallways.

Elsewhere in the temple, Ahsoka was meditating in the hall of a thousand fountains a patch had been put on her cheeks with her own set of wounds healing quickly. "Finally got around to meditating."

Ahsoka looked up to see Leo wearing his robes over his bandages, he sat down next to her as she smiled "Glad to see your awake."

"What happened after I passed out?" Leo asked her Ahsoka shrugged "I just remember you standing there as the shell almost hit then… nothing?" Ahsoka said leaning back on her hands.

The two padawans took pause in the garden listening to the waterfalls and fountains crash into one another, the rays of sun coming in from the skylights above were divided in magnificent golden rays, turning the plants into every changing shade of green. The birds and other small fauna that lived in the garden forest and pools radiated with there own force letting the two Padwans enjoy the serenity of the hall "I never knew the temple was this beautiful." Leo said in awe.

"What do you mean, haven't you meditated here before?" She asked.

Leo shook the red hair on his head side to side "No, Master Krell said he discovered me when I was still a youngling when he was wandering the Outer Rim bringing justice and order, since then I was at his side all the time training until I met you and General Skywalker."

Ashoka's face lit up and so did she onto her feet "Well this is great, I can show you all the places of the temple, come on." Leo felt Ashoka suddenly grabbed his arm, the one that wasn't broken and pull him out of the garden hall. Unbeknownst to either of the teens did they sense Master Secura in the garden too, deep in meditation but peeking out of one eye as they walked a way.

The two Padawans left the garden and walked down the hallways out into the main Galla of the temple, where the towering walkways and bridges intersected each other in ancient architecture. The walls were adorned with metal reinforcements on the stone polished to perfection by droids. The statues and monuments to Knights of Yore were everywhere "So the Grand Hall of course, hard to get anywhere without coming through here." Ashoka said pointing down to the main entrance which had balconies on each side and a stream of light coming in it.

"The front gate, you could fit an entire battalion through it." Leo said to her as Ashoka wasn't paying attention, Leo followed her down a flight of stairways to a cavernous hallway with white pillars and red carpet. "This is one of the study halls, each one of the rooms is dedicated to some form of study or another, I spent a lot of time here before I met Anakin." Ashoka said.

"Which class did you enjoy the most?" Leo asked her, Ashoka spun around smiling "Come on, I'll show you."

They walked down the hallway passing by a few Jedi whispering to themselves "... is that him, I heard the High Council were talking about him, something about the dark side."

Leo's ears pricked up "Maybe they should send him to the chamber of reassignment."

The boy stopped about to turn around when Ashoka said "Here we are." Leo followed her once more into a large chamber where there were a dozen padawn learners all of which were watching a set of Jedi spar.

There was a man with white hair and brown robe holding a blue lightsaber, across from him was a young woman holding twin green lightsabers. She had on tan beige Jedi robes without sleeves, she had a set of leathers traps on her biceps and fingerless leather gloves going up her forearms. "Lightsaber training, I shouldn't be surprised." Leo said over to her.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Ahsoka said as the dueler suddenly kicked it up a notch, the man swung his lightsaber at the woman who blocked, he parked throwing her guard off and trying to kick her. But she dodged spinning around twirling her lightsabers from above and below, the man jumped to doge the lower saber and connected his lightsaber to her top one before landing with an overhead strike. She housed a cross guard to block him and tried to break it by standing up. But suddenly the man swung his foot under her legs knocking her on her back.

"Can anyone tell me what she did wrong?" The man asked.

"That's Master Cin Drallig, the woman his Palawan Selene." Ahsoka whispered to Leo as a crop of hands grew from the small crowd of padawans.

Drallig pointed at a Rodian Padawan "She left herself open?"

"Good, what else?" He asked pointing to another student "Didn't use the force?" A few of the students snickered "You can't use that excuse in a fight, anyone?"

"She underestimated her opponent." Leo suddenly said getting everyone looking at him.

Cin Drallig's face was emotionless before smiling "Ah, Padawan Tano you've returned to us, and who is this?"

"Good day Master Drallig, this is Padawan Leo Rock." She said as Leo gave a formal bow rising as Drallig approached him.

"Pongs Padawan, I never thought I'd see the day." Cin said over to Selene who nodded "Right."

"Master?" Leo asked him.

Drallig cocked his head "Think nothing of it Padawan, you were right, Selene may be one of the most gifted students but one thing in any field is that you must always assume there is someone who could be better youngling, overconfidence is a trait that no Jedi should possess."

The battle master turned his attention back to Ahsoka as Selene spoke "Though, I've heard that Master Skywalker has that in spades."

Some of the Padawan snickered as Ahsoka's smile turned sour "Only because he has a record to prove it." She said back to the older girl.

"A reckless one." Selene said hands behind her back, Ahsoka looked like she was ready to draw her lightsaber right then and there before Drallig stepped in "Peace Padawans, Selene lets resume our lesson."

Ahsoka turned around toward the door "Come on Leo lets go."

Following her like had they left the study hall heading toward a trisection of the temple. "What was her problem with the General?" Leo asked.

"Same thing most of the Jedi have with Anakin, he's a bit of a maverick you know doesn't like being told what to do." Ahsoka told him, Leo chuckled, "You two have that in common."

Ahsoka suddenly shoved Leo and he winced in pain "oops,sorry, anyway on with the tour." The two padawans walked into the Jedi Temples legendary library with data storage units and bookshelves reaching up three levels. The floors were marble decorated with elaborate carvings and bronzium busts of lost Jedi.

"The Library, I once heard Master Yoda say that you'd need three lifetimes to read all of the data in here." Ahsoka said as Leo looked at the busts when he stopped at one "Though Master Yoda did say it in that weird way backwards accent and- Leo?" Ahsoka noticed Leo wasn't following her anymore.

Returning to his side she saw him looking at the bust of one of the lost twelve Jedi. The bust was in the likeness of Count Dooku, "Oh yeah, I forgot Count Dooku was here."

"If you ask me, they should get rid of this bust, he's a Sith and a traitor." Leo looked at the statue intently, the bust had a smile on it and the eyes looked kind filled with compassion and wisdom, hardly the stuff of a Sith Lord.

"Do you remember that other Sith we encountered at the colony, the man he said he was a Jedi once." Leo said to her.

"What about him?" Ahsoka inquired.

Leo looked back at the bust "He said the Jedi abandoned him, that the Count saved him, why would a Sith Lord save a Jedi?"

"Probably to interrogate him, turn him to the dark side I dunno Sith are crazy." Ahsoka said, just then a great set of bells rang into the temple intercom and Ahsoka gave a "aah, that means lunch, come on I'll show you the commercary." Ahsoka said.

Leo didn't seem to move, he was in a trance looking at the statue "I'll be along shortly, I need to do something."

Ahsoka shrugged "Alright, I'll save you a seat."

SERENNO

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Galaxy, Count Dooku was standing in his palaces grand hall behind him were both Tol Skorr and Asajj Ventress, they'd just finished their own report to the Count who was processing it in his malevolent mind. The Sith Lord turned slowly like beast about to devour prey as he looked at the acolytes.

"And you say this Palawan was able to deflect the warhead?" Dooku asked.

"Yes Count, it was like nothing I've ever seen." Skorr said as Asajj was silent "What of you Ventress what do you make of this youngling?" Dooku asked.

"An anomaly Master, but one we should follow closely I sense much anger in him, we could use that." Dooku stroked his trimmed beard as Tol Skorr nodded "I concur milord, the Dark Acolytes could always use more meat."

Dooku turned around from his pace between them "Very well, I shall meditate on this for now leave me." Both apprentices bowed to Dooku and turned to the exit.

When they were gone, Dooku knelt in front of his desk holo projector until a red hologram of a dark cloaked figure appeared, only their nose and chin visible under the shroud of their hood. "Lord Tyrannus, what of Lok Durds weapon?"

"Destroyed Darth Sidious, by Skywalker, it appears he has taken a new apprentice, one with great promise." Dooku

"Oh?" The Dark Lord said.

The Count kept his head raised leaning on one knee "Indeed, I seek your council on how we should proceed my acolytes have suggested we begin the process of turning him to the true power of the force."

Darth Sidious thought for a moment "Very well, but do not forget whom he will truly serve, these Acolytes of yours could become a problem in the future if they are not watched carefully."

"Yes my master, by your will."

CORUSCANT, JEDI TEMPLE

Leo was looking over datafiles on a computer in the temple, he brought up the picture of Tol Skorr, he didn't have the scar of long hair and facial hair either. His brown locks were combed back neatly with a clean shaved younger face in tan robes befitting of a Jedi Knight.

"Tol Skorr, disappeared on Korriban, presumed dead." Leo said leaning back in his chair, he scrolled down the data and gasped "no rescue attempts?" He said to himself when he saw someone was coming, it was Aayla.

Leo turned off the desktop and looked at her standing up to bow, "Master Secura good to see you again."

"At ease Leo, I only wanted to see how you were doing." Leo stood up straight when she spoke "Cuts and bruises ma'am, a few hours in a bacta tank should help."

Secura nodded "I just wanted to let you know that the High Council has requested your presence later this evening, a briefing of our events at the lurmen colony."

The boy felt his back get stiff "Yes master."

Aayla gave him a curious look "Leo before I go, I asked you a question I never got an answer to."

"What… uh what did I fear?" Leo asked her, Aayla gave him a nod "Yes, do you have an answer."

Leo opened is mouth but shut it "I don't know Master."

"A strange answer, you must be afraid of something?" She asked pushing the question Leo looked at his bandaged hand "I guess I'd say I'm afraid of myself, if that makes sense?"

Aayla put her hands behind her back and sat down at one of the library tables "Elaborate?"

"One of the first things General Krell taught me was that the force is absolute power, that the Jedi are the ones who wield it and if I lost respect for that power it would consume me." Leo told her, Aayla gave a smile agreeing with what he said.

"And did it, or at least did you feel it consume you?" She asked him, Leo gestured to his bandages and wounds "I guess it did."

"Thank you Padawan, now I'd hurry to the commercary, they'll stop serving soon." Aayla said as Leo heard his stomach growl.

Leo bowed as she walked away "Yes master… now if I only knew where it was?"

After a while of searching and getting lost, twice, Leo found his way into a nearly empty commercary, many of the Jedi were already done with their meals leaving the room behind. Making it easy for Leo to spot Ahsoka sitting alone at a table with two trays, Leo sat down out of breath having ran across the temple looking for the cafeteria and her.

"Sorry, I got caught up." Leo said as Ahsoka looked up at him "Ha don't worry, your foods just cold."

Leo looked at it seeing the meal was basic vegetarian with a loaf of bread, and small cake with a fruit on it, there were also some noodles and mashed vegetables "I once ate nothing but roots and bugs when I was on Jabiim."

"Sounds organic." Ahsoka said holding her fork up, she stabbed it into his food and held it up "Open wide."

Leo felt both cheeks burn red, "Wha-?" Leo asked dodging her fork, "Leo your hurt, the doctors said you'll need help eating until your hands are better."

Rolling his eyes, Leo raised his bandaged hand moving it slowly "I'm fine."

Ahsoka's eyes looked squarely at him before she gave him a high five sending a shock down Leos arm and into his nerves "owwwwwrrrrr." Leo growled as she laughed "Now come on, say aaah."

Leo held his hand still blushing, did as he was told "aaahh."

She put the food in his mouth before he bit it off, "Don't look at me like that." Ahsoka said as Leo chewed "hrrrnnn." He said with a mouth full of food.

Ahsoka just shook her head, "I could just let you hurt your hand more, then you can get a cool robot one."

Leo was about to retort when she shoved more food in his mouth "Really that's so interesting." Ahsoka said starting to annoy Leo as he chewed.

"So what did you have to do that made you late?" Ahsoka asked him letting him swallow and catch his breath, "I was looking at- aargph." Ahsoka had already stabbed more of the salad and put it in his mouth before he could speak. Leo coughed it up onto the tray where Ahsoka started to ball laughing, at Leos unfornitate state.

"Well isn't this sweet?" Leo and Ahsoka looked up to see Selene standing over the table "What do you want?" Ahsoka asked her.

"I simply wanted to stop by and say hello, also to wish Leo good luck with the Council?" Selene said giving Leo a wink.

"Council?" Ahsoka asked looking at Leo, "They want me to tell them about the events at the colony." Leo said.

"Is that what you heard?" Selene asked hands on her hips smiling at them "What are getting at?" Ahsoka asked.

The Jedi shrugged turning around hand in the air "Guess you'll find out, you know I bet young Leo here will be sent to the Council of Reassignment, maybe you too and your Master Padawan Tano." Selene cooed turning around only to get a kiss of the mashed vegetables right into her face.

Ahsoka had stood up on the table with a hand caked in the mashed food "You got something to say, say it." Ahsoka said as Selene wiped her face clean with the mashed food still in her black hair.

"You insolent little scug!" Selene ripped out both her green lightsabers, Ahsoka drew her own.

"Bring it on." Ahsoka snapped back, Selene charged her jumping onto the table as Leo got out of the way "You think you can just trash talk my master." Ahsoka said dodging and slicing at Selene who chased her around the commercary.

Selene dodged and kicked a tray of food at Ahsoka, she sliced it in half and came at her "With how you fight, yeah I'd say the proof is in the pudding speaking off." Selene said as she noticed a maintenance droid shoving a cart of pudding toward some garbage shoots.

Raising her gloved hand still holding the lightsabers, Selene used the force to cast the tub of pudding right into Ahsoka making her slip onto her back, she came face to face with Selene lightsaber "Keep pract-"

Selene backflipped out of the way as Leo appeared holding his lightsaber in his right hand instead of his usual left, "Back off, now." Leo said holding it up at her.

Spitting at the floor Selene regripped her lightsabers "Think I'm scared of you, 'Berserker'?" She asked Leo who didn't move.

Leo was looking at her with daggers "You will be." The two of them ran at one another and Leo caught her blade parrying off it to throw his shoulder into her knocking Selene off balance. Some of the padawans and Jedi had stayed behind to watch the fray "Isn't that Dralligs apprentice?"

"Who's she fighting?"

"He's fighting her with one arm?"

Selene backflipped onto one of the tables before Leo jumped up onto it running at her, she used the force to lift up two tables behind her and throw them at Leo. He cut one in half and dodged the other sliding onto his knees to almost gash her across the chest, she barely dodged when Leo swung at her with his lightsaber.

"Alright, that's enough Padawan your hurt anyway." Selene said as she backed up blocking his lightsaber.

Leo wasn't listening he kept pushing the attack, jumping up and trying to kick her, she dodged him making him fall into the table, he hit his wounded shoulder hard making him wince "Hey I said stop." Selene said as Leo got up.

"I don't know the meaning of the word." Leo said getting up he flicked a switch on his lightsaber making the blade lock on. He gripped the hilt like a spear and through at Selene who batted away but wasn't paying attention to Leo as he tackled her off the table knocking the lightsabers from her hands, on top of her he held her down with his good arm and drew back his cast out of the sling his elbow primed and ready to shatter her jaw.

"CEASE HOSTILITIES!"

Leo looked up to see four Jedi Sentinels had surrounded the two Jedi, their yellow lightsabers shining bright ready to use them if need be. Looking around Leo could see all the eyes of the commercary were on him, none of them were eyes of impressment or wonder, instead Leo could see the fear in their eyes. He could sense it too, even as he was panting hard he slowly started to bring attention to his breath, getting up he summoned his lightsaber to his side as Selene got up.

"Psycho." Selene said as Leo looked back at her "Bitch."

Later, Leo was sitting outside the High Council chamber with Anakin standing over him "Alright, first things first who won the fight?" Anakin asked.

"Leo did." Ahsoka said before Leo could make an explanation "That at boy." Anakin said making Leo look surprised at the sudden praise "Who started it?"

"Uh… I did." Ahsoka said sheepishly, Anakin sighed knitting his brows "Just don't make a habit of it, this won't look favorably on you two when we talk to the Council." Anakin said.

"What's there to talk about, this is just a debriefing right?" Ahsoka asked him.

Anakin was hesitating in his reply "They already know what happened, every detail this is more of an inquiry."

"... about what?" Leo asked worried.

"About you Leo, the Council is curious how a padawan of your age was able to deflect a full on warhead with the force." Leo started to shiver at the idea "But he saved the Lurmen, saved us?" Ahsoka asked.

Anakin nodded at her "No one is denying that Ahsoka, but power like that left unchecked could be dangerous not just to us around Leo, but to himself."

Suddenly the elevator door next to them opened and Obi-Wan walked out "There ready for us, ah good Ahsoka's here too they wanted to speak to her considering what happened in the commercary."

Ahsoka gulped next to Leo before they entered into the lift, the ride up to the council chamber was silent and long, but eventually they walked out into the council hall only to see a few masters were present. It was Mace Wendu, Yoda and Aayla Secura standing in the center of the chamber, the two padawans walked in and stood in front of the masters after Anakin and Obi-Wan joined them looming over the two tikes.

"Padwans Rock, Tano, do you know why your here?" Master Wendu asked.

"If this is about the fight with Drallig's apprentice I started it." Ahsoka said quickly "Not yet it is Padawan, no we wanted to discuss the events at the lurmen colony." Aayla said as Leo stood up straight.

"Padawan Rock, when you deflected the warhead what was going through your mind?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Leo looked at all the masters with wary eyes till they fell onto Anakin "Go ahead Leo." Anakin assured him.

"I was afraid Masters." Leo said to the adults "Afraid to die?" Master Wendu asked.

Leo shook his head "No, afraid I'd fail Master."

"Fail?" Wendu asked him, Leo nodded "Yes Masters, afraid we couldn't protect the village, that I couldn't protect Master Skywalker and Ahsoka."

The masters looked at one another "The truth he tells us I believe." Master Yoda said "Alive our fellow Jedi are alive and so are the colonists." Yoda said to them.

"That may be so, but the Padawan called on his fear to do so and that is what troubles us." Mace Wendu said to the other Masters.

"Masters, if I could speak?" Anakin said walking around to stand with both his Padawans "As Jedi we face dangers unlike most people can think of, both Ahsoka and Leo performed exemplary when we crashed, he defended me when I was too injured to fight and Ahsoka risked her life with Master Secura to bring me to safety and they both stood their ground like Jedi against Ventress and this latest Dooku lackey." Anakin said hands on their shoulders.

"Satisfied are you Master Wendu?" Yoda asked him.

Mace Wendu didn't say anything but gave a nod "Very well adjourned this meeting is, discuss the matter of the commercary later we will."

Anakin led Leo and Ahsoka to the elevator when Leo overheard the masters talking "We should focus more on Dooku's latest acolyte." Obi-Wan said.

"Tol Skorr." Leo said.

"What did he say?" Mace asked looking Leo.

Leo stopped turning around "He said his name was Tol Skorr."

"What else did he say?" Aayla asked him "... nothing Masters, nothing at all."

**Got an episode or scenario you want to see, drop a review/suggestion. **


	5. The Hidden Enemy

**I know this seems like its moving fast, but if you all have any episodes from season one and two please hmu the reviews or DM/PM 7**

JEDI TEMPLE

The afternoon was just beginning to rise on the galactic capital of the republic and the home of the Jedi Order. Deep inside the temple itself, Anakin was just entering into the main building. He breathed in the surroundings; walking deeper into the temple he saw Obi-wan approaching him from the opposite direction. "You're looking well Master" Anakin stated to his old mentor "Well, a few days away from the war can certainly alter one's perspective," the old Jedi said as he joined with Anakin walking in the same direction.

"Really, I never liked living in the temple all that much" Anakin said while the two headed down the halls stopping in front of a glass window to chat a bit "Well we don't all have our own apartments in the bustling city," Obi-wan said back to him.

"You received our new mission I assume," Obi-wan Asked Anakin, who nodded "Droids spotted on Naboo," Anakin said "How long as it been since we were last there," Obi-wan asked him.

Anakin shrugged "Only a few for me, but longer for you isn't it" Obi-wan nodded at him "Senator Amidala asked for us personally" Obi-wan said "Why is it where ever she goes trouble follows" he added as Anakin rolled his eyes "I don't know, I'm just glad we can finally get out of the temple"

"Yes, I admit I was starting to get a tad bored," the old master said jokingly. As Anakin shrugged at him he then asked: "How do you think Leo and Ahsoka are holding up"?

The two Padawans they were asking about were somewhere else in the temple, Leo and Ahsoka sat in the middle of a small room, they were both sitting at a small round table, playing a game of dejarik. Dejarik was played on a holo game table, which comprised a hologram generator within a table-sized cylindrical base, with a black-and-white checkerboard pattern on the top surface. When active, holomonsters - full-color, three-dimensional hologram playing pieces measuring between 5-30 cm tall - would be projected on the board. The pieces all resembled creatures, real and mythic, from throughout the galaxy, including the Mantellian Savrip, Grimtaash the Molator, Ghhhk, Houjix, Ng'ok, Kintan Strider, K'lor'slug, and the M'onnok. These pieces, when moved by the player, actually acted out the moves as if really specimens of their species. If the pieces were not used for a certain amount of time or both players abandoned the game, they would simulate boredom. Major dejarik tournaments included the Galactic Core Interzonals. The kintan strider death gambit was a notable tactic. Another notable tactic was the fork, in which a player moved one holomonster to threaten at least two of the opponent's so that no matter what the opponent did one piece would be lost. It was considered a mistake in play to leave oneself vulnerable to a fork. The word fork came to be used as a generic term for facing a choice between two disasters: "We are well and truly forked". Ahsoka was leaning on the board with one elbow her fingerless hand pressed against his forehead waiting for Leo to go. Leo, on the other hand, was looking at all the pieces of the board itself, his Grimtaash was close to her Houjix, and the same went for her M'onnok with his Kintan strider.

"Any day now rusty," Ahsoka said as Leo had his hands interlocked "A Jedi must always have patience Ahsoka." finally snapped out of the trance, he moved his Mantellian Sayrip up three spaces were it grabbed Ahsoka's Ghhhk and slammed it on the ground.

Leo smirked seeing he had knocked out another one of Ahsoka's figures "What… oh come on" she said as she looked at her hologram dissolved into the board. "Hey, I made a fair move screaming about it won't help" he pointed out, Ahsoka rolled her eyes "Fifteen times we've played, and fifteen times you've won your cheating!" Ahsoka accused him pointing at him with one of her red fingers. Leo made a pfft sound "Serious, maybe it's because you're just really bad at this" he snapped back as Ashokas angered expression was replaced by one of guile, she smirked as she waved her hand sending all the pieces off the table and onto the floor, "What was that for?" Leo asked looking at all the pieces hit the floor and vanish.

Suddenly Ahsoka turned on her green saber and stabbed it into the middle of the table "How about a new game", she said over the buzzing lightsaber burning the table, Leo got up and whipped out his white saber and gave similar smile "No quarter will be given".

Eventually, Anakin and Obi-wan made their way to the room where Leo and Ahsoka were supposed to be in "Here they are" Obi-wan said as they were about to open the door when they heard a loud bang coming from inside, followed by a crash and sound of stuff being smashed. Obi-wan opened the door to see a small heelpiece of the board game coming flying at him. He dodged out of the ways Anakin caught it, they both walked into seeing the entire room had been torn to pieces with the table cut in half, one of the chairs broken the other was completely missing and all the other furniture knocked over. Suddenly Leo and Ahsoka appeared on the ground with Ahsoka on top of Leo who was on his stomach as she had his arm twisted behind his back "Say it, say it" Ahsoka snapped at him, "Never" he growled underneath. Obi-wan cleared his throat trying to get their attention. Anakin stood behind him arms crossed slightly smirking, both Leo and Ahsoka looked up from the floor "Masters" Ahsoka said before Leo through the back of his elbow into her stomach and tossed her off. He rolled out from under her and stood back up "I see you too are enjoying yourselves" Anakin said, "Please Anakin don't encourage this" Obi-wan sighed as Ahsoka and Leo both looked at the two Jedi masters.

"Leo, Ahsoka the Council has given is a mission" Leo seemed to perk up a bit, and Ahsoka gave a slight smirk at him than their master "Where to Master?" she asked.

Anakin held up his hand "First… get this place cleaned up it looks like a warzone" both Ahsoka and Leo looked around the small room they had turned upside down. They both turned back around to Anakin and Obi-wan with apologetic smiles, "Yes sir" Leo said the two Jedi masters turned around and exited the room while the two Padawan began to clean up. "I see Leo has loosened up'" Obi-wan said walking out the door and Anakin shutting it behind them. The young master could tell where the conversation was going "All he needed was a constructive outlet" Anakin proclaimed proudly, "Good to know, but if this mission goes south we'll need both of them for this mission" Obi-wan said walking ahead of Anakin.

LATER, NABOO

Anakins flagship the _Resolute_, shot out of hyperspace over the large planet of Naboo. The four Jedi including Rex were all in the hanger approaching a drop ship "So General, what's the mission?" Leo asked him. "Some droids were spotted on the planet surface by Naboo security forces, after interrogating the droid they discovered the Separatists have some sort of secret lab here" Anakin explained, Ahsoka than said "Why would the Separatists have secret lab on Naboo?" "Believe it or not Ahsoka, Naboo was the foundation for the very war we fight in today" Obi-wan said as they boarded the gunship with Rex waiting behind "Call us if you need us sir" "Sure thing Rex" Anakin said back.

The two ships doors shut down tightly as Leo asked "But sir, the war started on Geonosis".

"Technically it did Leo, but Separatist movement began here after the droids set up a blockade" Anakin said "It's also were I single handily destroyed the command ship when I was only a youngling" Anakin said boastfully arms crossed puffing out his chest. "Yes, yes Anakin now let's not forget why we're here" Obi-wan pointed out while the ship flew down to the world below. Each one of them reached up to old on to one of the slings up above to keep their balance. "Senator Amidala requested our help in investigating the situation, we don't want another invasion in this system" Obi-wan pointed out with the ship breaking through the atmosphere to the planet below. They flew over the clouds then descended even lower till they were on a course straight for the capital city.

Ahsoka looked at Leo than said "Hey Rusty, what's thee matter you seem really quiet" she said making Leo snap out of some sort of trance "Oh. Sorry was thinking" he said back to her "About what?" she asked "Nothing, just a weird feeling I got".

NABOO SWAMPS

Naboos swamps had always been home to a wide variety of animals and fauna, but recently deep underground it had given residence to a new and very hostile set of dwellers. Deep below the earth was a separatist facility of some kind; droids were marching down the metal halls left and right. Deeper inside a large laboratory filled with not only droids but strange vials of glowing blue smoke, stood a white skinned Faust male with blue eyes and dark black face paint over his eyes, wearing a white lab coat and black gloves with boots. He was standing in front of a red hologram of none other than Count Dooku "Good news Mien Count Dooku, with the faithful support of the Separatist council I have restored life to the Blue Shadow Virus" the Faust said happily with a thick accent "Well done Dr. Vindi" Count Dooku said in the red hologram, "I am eager to see the fruit of your labors… personally" Dr. Vindis face lit up "HAHAHAHA yes, yes Mein Count, come and come see how I have created life".The transmission cut off, and Dr. Vindi turned around snickering, rubbing the small metal orb in his hand, he rubbed the ball before, a droid and a super battle droid approached him. "What is it you autonomous machines" he asked annoyed seeing the droid "Sir, two life forms have entered in our perimeter" the droid said, pointing to the labs scanners. The doctor walked over and a telethescope dropped down from the ceiling and he looked into it to see out fro ma small monitoring device. Up above in the swamps, Dr. Vindi saw that outside up above were two people one was Padme dressed in a yellow environmental suit with another, a gungan wearing a similar outfit "Well, I suppose one can never have to many lab rats, please escort our guests inside" he ordered the two droids.

Back up above Padme and her gungan companion were trudging through the mud "Be careful Jar Jar" Padme said looking around, the gungan stepped forward looking around itching the back of his suit with out tight it was. The gungan stepped right onto a twig and his feet slipped out from under him sending him splattering into the mud with a yell that got Padme's attention. When Jar Jar got up both of the them saw a metal door in the ground "A hatch" Jar Jar gasped seeing the metal opening sealed off from the outside world.

Jar Jar started to whip the mud off "Captain Typho" Padme said holding up her wrist communicator "I believe we're standing right on top of the lab" she replied "I need a geo scan of coordinates SP0127" she said before leaning down next to Jar Jar to look at the hatch he was excavating. She looked a t the hatch Jar had mostly uncovered "No way we're going to open this" she sighed, as the monitor device that was spying on them went back into the ground and at least six battle droids started to rise out of the ground from holes. Unknown to the two nabooians Padme said, "I guess we'll have to-" "Frieze, hold it right there" one of the droids said. Both of them looked at the soulless machines holding blasters to there heads.

Later, both Padme and Jar Jar were stripped of there yellow environmental suits, Padme had on her attire she wore when she was on the Malevolence, while Jar Jar wore a gungan tunic with a long purple strap hanging from his neck. "Yousa let us go!" the Gungan representative barked at the metal droids who didn't even respond. Watching them squirm with much delight was Dr. Vindi as they were surrounded by battle droids "Who are you, why are you holding us" Padme barked the doctor who took out a pair of eye spectacles, approached the two smiling malevolently, he held the glasses up to his pale blue eyes as he examined Jar Jar than Padme like they were experiments in jars "Wonderful specimens" he cooed looking down at Padme "What's a lifeform like you doing in a swamp like this?" he asked as she turned away from his gaze in disgust.

"I was about to ask you the same thing" she hissed at him like a cat to a rat, Dr. Vind motioned to himself proudly standingup straight one hand behind his back the other over his chest, "Thanks to support to my compassionate friends in the Separatist alliance I am creating life!" he shouted looking to the ceiling. Jar Jar on the other hand said "Howsa you sire creating life?" he asked confused and upset like Padme, Dr. Vindi smiled and humbly said "I am so pleased you inquired, a demonstration is in order" the alien doctor said walking to one of the large shielded cabinets of blue viles he reached in and said "Allow me to present the return of the infamous blue shadow virius" he said holding up the vile to the two prisoners. "The blue shadow viris?" Padme asked rhetorically "I thought that deadly disease was extinct" she asked the doctor.

Dr. Vindi looked back at the liquid in the vile "Yes it was wipped from the galaxy generations ago, but I have given it life, one again".

Both the prisoners glared at him "AH, yousa no creating life yousa taking life" Jar Jar snapped at him, "Yousa posion the gungan water".

The doctor started to cackle proudly at the disaster "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yes, yes unfortunately the natural form survives only in water, untiI improved on that weakness" he said walking to the front of the lab for all to see, he slipped the blue vile of plague onto a small metal pallet leaving it in the bottle before he stepped away, he walked over to a small control panel and flipped a lever, lighting began to surround the bottle as the water shifted and bubbled into a small cloud of glass within the glass bottle. The Doctor laughed out loud as Padme and Jar Jar looked at the bottle that was once water now gas "Your eyes do not deceive you." Dr. Vindi said walking over to the bottle and standing in front of his work "I have perfected an airborn strain of the blue shadow virus" Dr. Vindi cheered, a small LEP servant droid also known as assistant droids and rabbit droids for there long ear like head emitters walked in holding the same small orb that Dr. Vindi had held in front of the count, in a high pitched voice it said "This is the last of the bombs doctor" the droid sqeaked.

"I'm well aware of that, you'd think I would loose count" he yelled at the droid swiping the bomb out from the droids tiny hands "The virius in its gasses form combined with these bombs will be released into the galaxy more potent than ever before" Dr. Vindi said happily putting the vile into the bomb turning it into a doomsday weapon.

"Are you insane?" Padme shouted "It's a deadly disease no life forms are immune to it, that's why it was eradicated" she said her face filled with disbelief "You mean murdered!" Dr. Vindi shouted at her his electric machines crackling behind him "Take this away" he said giving the bomb to the droid. The LEP droid took the bomb away into another hall and the Faust walked up to Padme and started to say something.

"While we speak, so many diseased life forms are spreading there disease of war throughout the galaxy, perhaps they are the ones who should be eradicated" he barked at the woman as the battle droids started to surround them.

THIED, ROYAL PALACE

The republic gunship carrying the jedi flew right into the hanger of the Royal Palace, to be greeted by Captain Typhoo a tall dark skinned black haired man with one eye wearing a palace guard out fit that consisted of a blue leather jacket with red sleeves and trousers, C3-P0 and a pink skinned gungan. The four of the jedi started to leave the ship as Captain Typho walked briskly up to them, "General Kenobi, Anakin glad to-" Before he could finish Anakin spoke out of turn "Wheres Senator Amidalla" he said urgently to the palace captain "She went to look for the lab" he explained.

"And you let her go?" Anakin snapped at him, "Senator Padme can be very hard to stop when she had made up her mind" Threepieo said to his former maker and master "I'll have to agree with you on that one" Anakin sighed cooling off a bit, Captain Typhoo motioned for the gungan behind the mto step forward, she wore a strapless green bra like Ahsoka with blue bands around her neck and wrists, she held a large hearding pike that farmers would carry, "This is Peppi Bow, she was the last one to see Senator Amidalla before we lost contact" the man said letting the gungan step forward she placed her hand on her chest in greeting "Thesa looking for the sick maker" she said in her thick gungan accent, "They?" Obi-Wan asked.

Artoo who was standing behind them made a depressing sound shifting were it sat "Jar Jar?" Leo said looking at the droid "What's a Jar Jar" he asked, with nobody answering him "Leo, Ahsoka go with the gungan, see if you can find them!" he ordered "You got it master" Ahsoka said enthusiastically "Yes sir" Leo replied at the same time following Ahsokas lead as they and the gungan named Peppi said, "Why didn't you send anyone to look for her" Leo heard Anakin whisper to Captain Typhoo "Considering the latest developments, we thought it best to wait for you" Leo heard Captain Typhoo explain while he and Ahsoka walked off. They passed by all the Nabooian fighters there yellow paint with sleek metal design earning Leos attention, but suddenly, he stopped. His attention was drawn away from the fighters to a large metal door, it was sealed shut tightly from everyone thing else. He looked at it with both green eyes not breaking contact with the door, "Leo, come on" Ahsoka said he had stopped walking to look at the door. He shook his head and said "Yeah sure" he said following her, behind them while Anakin was talking with Captain Typhoo, Obi-wan had seen Leo looking at the door before he too followed Anakin like Leo with Ahsoka.

When the two padawans and gungan left the hangar, Ahsoka asked "Where was the last place you saw Senator Amidalla" she asked.

"By dee old riva, theysa headed into de swamp, it not far from here" she said, "Guess we're going to the swamp" Ahsoka said hands on her hips as Leo looked to at Ahsoka, "Alright, but I still won the last game" Leo said to her, "What you through a cheap shot" as they walked toward a flight of stairs, it was a yellow T shaped ship with the cockpit right on top, meant for short distance travel "Because I won the last game of dejarik" he said reminding her "Well I had you pinned before you through that dirty elbow" he said as she and the gungan stepped off the final step with Leo. They made there way to out of the palace to the to the palaces rear entrance were a large shaak was standing munching on some grass with Peppi following behind them. "I didn't hear you complain when I through it back than" he said recounting the events at the jedi temple. "Besides we can have another round after the mission" he asked her, she rolled her eyes as she got in the pilot seat "True, but because I want too" she said as they approached the shaak that looked up to see them, it mooed loudly at Peppi, Ahsoka grabbed her nose "Ah.. .what is that smell" she said as Leos nose scrunched up getting the same wiff of air "Thisa my livelihood, shaakas are good trade and gooda friend" Peppi said getting on the back of the saddled shaak.

"Come come, ders plenty of room" she said as the two young jedi glanced at one another.

Elsewhere still in the palace, Obi-wan and Anakin followed Captain Typhoo into a large command center, it had a large holo table in the center of the room. A droids head sat with the three of them surrounding it looking at the droids head.

"We did an lobotomy on the droid, and this is what we came up with" Captain Typhoo said looking at the two jedi to his left, and Threepio and Artoo to his right, the Captain pressed a button and the holo table lit up with a hologram of Dr. Vindi, "Who is that?" Anakin asked?

"Dr. Nuvo Vindi, head Doctor to the Perma family, he disappeared ten years ago" Captain Typhoo explained as the hologram of Dr. Vindi started to speak "Good news my soulless mechanical friends, we now have enough blue shadow virus to start filling the bombs" he said in a speech like manner, Threepio suddenly looked at Artoo and very woriedly the droid said "He said bombs?".

The faust psychopath continued "All we need to do is send one bomb to each key system, I wanted them ready by the time-" Captain Typho ended the message giving the two jedi the information they needed. Anakin stood looking at the droid head hands behind his back and Obi-wan had his armored arms crossed "If those bombs get delievered we're facing a galaxy wide plague, the war will be the least of the wories" Obi-wan said showing the Captain and everyone else how serious the problem was. "There is some good news, Senator Amidalla sent us the coordiantes before we lost contact, we we're able to make a geo scan of the area" Captain Typhoo said turning on the holo table to reveal a large hologram of the underground droid base, there nearly a dozen compartments with tubes leading in and out of them. "It's enormous" Obi-wan gasped looking at the base.

Captain Typhoo continued "There looks like there are three entry points, here, here and here" each time he said the word 'here' one of the top sections of the base turned from the original blue to a faded red, a smaller one in the center of the base than turned red "This appears to be the main lab".

Than Obi-wan asked "What about the bombs?" he asked, the Captain answered with another section of the base turning red "We scanned a large amount of radiation from this section" the section he was speaking about was right in front of the Jedi. Obi-wan scatached his bearded face thinking before "It's likely they are in there" Captain Typho said.

"If Padme has alerted them to our presence in anyway-" Obi-wan started but Anakin would finish "If Padme's in there and we go in guns blazing, she might get killed!" he snapped at his old mentor "That's a risk we have to take" Obi-wan said back to his former Padawan "And if we, detonate one of those bombs than" "Better to have one planet infected than the entire galaxy" Obi-wan said looking at the factory intently

EASTERN SWAMPS

Leo, Ahsoka, and Peppi bow had rode on the Shaaks back all the way into sunset, the shaak was just coming up on a large naboo transport ship. "This the ship they came in" Peppi said pointing to the ship while they passed the large naboo ship "So where are they?" Ahsoka asked as Leo got off the large shaaks hump, "I'll check inside" he said walking up to the ship. He scanned around it, and saw no signs of destruction that would make the ship force to land. He climbed inside the large mechanical transport and examined the inside. When he saw nothing was out of the ordinary he headed back outside, with the others, he saw Ahsoka and Peppi stop just in front of a mud covered clearing. He followed the tracks of the largeeShaak the two females slipped off of "Well there's nothing wrong with the ship" he said coming up beside Ahsoka. "Find anything?" he asked Ahsoka who gestured to the muddy ground "There tracks end here" Leo bent down the ground and looked at the tracks of both a human and a gungan "So what do you-" Leo started to ask when he saw a rock underneath Peppi's feet start to rise out of the ground, "Get back!" Leo whispered harsly to Ahsoka, she saw the rock and underneath it was a scope "Peppi don't move, it's a scope" Ahsoka whispered as she and Leo moved around the scopes rear out of sight.

Leo jumped over a trees large root sticking out of the ground hiding from view, he landed on his hands and knees, below his torso was some dung which his nose scrunched up at. He peaked over to see Ahsoka tackle Peppi off the top and right onto him, he let out a small groan as she landed on top of him. Right into the dung, "Guess we now what happened to the senator" Ahsoka said getting off him, she dung over his chest, luckily it was dried mostly but that didn't stop the smell "Whooo weee, thas some nasty poodu" Peppi said referring to the dung as such, Leo looked at the brown stain on his tunic before looking up at Ahsoka "We live a charmed life.", Ahsoka couldn't help but snicker at his misforturne as she kept her nose shut "Uh… heh heh, yeah how about you go clean up while I contact Skyguy".

Leo whipped off the mud stain on his back as he headed toward the nabooian ship. He climbed the steps of the ramp. Later Leo and Ahsoka along with Peppi were sitting around the ship while the gungan herder fed her stead. Ahsoka was leaning on the ships ramps lowering mechanisim, and Leo was sitting on the ramp, "Okay, so new animal, I'm big, I have claws, but no hair, and I walk on two legs?" Ahsoka asked Leo who was looking at the clouds above, as it was starting to get dark "Rancor." Leo said back Ahsoka slammed her fist on the metal ramp "How do you do that?" she asked wondering how he had won the game again. He shrugged "Your asking somebody whose been trained to sense blaster fire coming from behind and when I'm in trouble it's-" "Geez enough Master Windu." Ahsoka interrupted getting up while the sun began to set. There was a brief pause between the two as Ahsoka stretched yawning loud enough to make Leo twitch a bit. A twitch she noticed she stretched again grabbing her arm pit with her right hand and stretching her left one up so she could stretch even more, and yawn louder. He rolled his eyes as she did again this time bending over to annoy him, when he looked back at her he saw she had stretched back up slowly. He felt his green eyes drawn to her bare back and than.

"Could you stop that?" he asked her "What I'm just stretching, want to stay limber before the battle?" she asked rhetorically he waved her off before his come link burst to life "Leo, Ahsoka you ready?" it was Anakins voice speaking to them out of both there communication devices "Yes General, we're all limbered up." He said sneering at Ahsoka who glared at him, high up above in the skies of Naboo the Jedi was leading a whole company of clones inside three gunships. "We're going to be dropping some heavy loads on the base in three locations, we need you and Ahsoka to make a distraction." The General said to his two commanders, "Roger General." Leo said as the ships flew overhead before Leo and Ahsoka saw them break off into three different directions one stopping just above them.

Ahsoka stretched her arms out a bit more, as Leo cracked his knuckles "I think I'm going to break my record today?" Ahsoka said rhetorically she held up a thermal detonator "It's not a contest." Leo said rolling his shoulders to loosen them up "Says the guy who last lost time,"

Each of them smirked "Care to do the honors." He said holding his hand out for her being polite "Than what are you waiting for?" she asked back to him, "I was trying to be polite, but fine", Ahsoka through the detonator over to the patch of sensor devices before Leo caught it with the force, where he switched it on before it exploded shaking the entire ground. The Gun ships flew overhead and parted into three other ways. "Time for the distraction" Leo said taking his saber out and jumping into the pit.

"Peppi stay here, I'm off to get rusty." She said before the gungan could even follow them, Ahsoka than copied Leo's action by jumping into the base were blaster fire and fires filled the metal base. Peppi put her staff on her shoulder and shook her head "Ah.. yong luv." She chuckled, while down below Ahsoka landed in the middle of a fire fight clones landing off grappling hooks behind her, Leo and the droids who were dwindling in the lower level. Ahsoka and Leo fought side by side pushing the droids back leaping off the walls. Behind them Captain Rex and the other clones pushed foreward. Leo chopped one droid in half why Ahsoka deflected one of the last battle droids shots taking its head off with a single shot. "Anymore?" Ahsoka asked smugly seeing she had taken down the last droid, rolling around the corner were three droidikas. "You had to ask?" Leo asked her as she cocked her head "Yeah… I did…". The droidikas stood on there three legs before raising their shields and opening fire. "Fall back" Ahsoka ordered as the two of them backed away from the advancing droids.

Suddenly the roof caved in and down dropped the ceiling crushing the droidikas right where they stood. Also on top of them was Obi-Wan Kenobi "Am I late?" he asked "Right on time Master." Ahsoka said as more clones in orange and white armor dropped down behind Obi-Wan while the two padwans joined with the clones in pushing foreward. "Leo Ahsoka, secure the base, Bomb squad follow me!" Obi-Wan ordered turning on his blue lightsaber and heading down another hallway opposite of Ahsoka and Leo. "I'm at seventeen." Ahsoka said as he and her rounded a corner "Whatever." Leo said as he and her chopped away at the droids, while dodging ther blaster fire and returning it at the same time, Leo cut a droids arm off than its torso off "Ninteen." He said smirking at her as she leapt over him stabbing a droid in the chest.

"Padawans, do you read me?" both there communicators came back to life as the kept running. "Dr. Vindi escaped and he has a sample of the bomb with him, you have too-" the padwans and clones turned around another corner to run right into Anakin and his own clones "Master?" Ahsoka gasped seeing him, behind him was Senator Amidalla, "Ahsoka, Leo, we need to stop Dr. Vindi before he escapes with the blue shadow virus, and he gave the last of it to one of the droids."

Anakin looked at both of them, "Ahsoka stay with Padmae, Leo with me." The two groups broke off into separate hallways.

The jedi knight and Leo ran down one of the halls together "Remember Leo if one of those vials breaks, this is all over." He said to him, "Understood General." He followed Anakin down the hall, where they ran toward the only hanger in the entire base. In said hanger Dr. Vindi was heading straight toward his private ship that was starting to rise off the ground. Vindi glanced back down at the two jedi, and laughed his safety helmet already on that would prevent him from inhaling any toxins. "Come on" Anakin ordered both of them jumped up using the force to propel them to the top of the hangers platform. Vindi turned around just as he was boarding his separatist transport, tearing a blaster from the holster he used it to aim right at the two jedi. Leo deflected the blaster shots and so did Anakin, quickly Vindi opened his case of blue shadow virus. He through them into the air three glass vials of the gass, "Leo!" Anakin barked at Leo and like a loyal hound Leo locked onto the viles as the flew over head. He jumped off the edge and grabbed all three of them in mid air, before he landed on the bottom of the hanger. Anakin used the force to disarm Vindi from his blaster and he held his saber up to Vindis helmet cracking it. "Looks like you use this round Vindi." Anakin said, as the doctor glared at him, when suddenly a beeping came from Vindis wrist. Vindi started to laugh manically at the beeping "HAHA too late Jedi, soon we all go BOOOM!" Vindi said as the beeping got faster and faster till finally…..

…

…

…

"What happened?" Vindi asked as he was answered by Leo and Anakins comm link "Master, we disarmed the last bomb." Ahsokas voice came echoing out of the device, signaling all was well.

LATER

Eventually the republic drop ships had set down outside now ransacked confederate base, and. Leo and Anakin had Dr. Vindi in a pair of restraints the mad scientist sneering and glaring at the dirt as he was being led to what would have been his escape ship that would now be his deliverance to justice. Meanwhile in the distance, Coung Dooku stood watching the Jedi hidden from their sight as he looked at Leo scratching his beard.


	6. The Blue Shadow Virus, The Lions Trial

Hard-pressed Jedi and their valiant clone troopers have thwarted an insidious Separatist plot to plant bombs loaded with the deadly blue shadow virus in key Republic systems. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker have captured the vile scientist behind the nefarious scheme, Dr. Nuvo Vindi. Now the Jedi prepare to transport Vindi to the Republic capital for trial. Leo was walking behind his Master at a steady pace hands behind his back.

"That was close, if that virus had escaped, everyone on Naboo would be dead now." Anakin said with Dr. Vindin in handcuffs in front of him being led onto a Republic gunship.

As ever sassful Obi-Wan had his arms crossed shrugging "Oh, well, just another boring day saving the universe."

"All right, let's take this sleemo back to Theed so we can help Padmé and Ahsoka clean up down there, Leo mind staying behind and keep an eye on things?" Anakin asked Leo who was scanning the tree line, sensing something was amiss before Anakin's orders reached his ears.

He turned around hands behind his back "No sir."

Meanwhile, down below in the base, Ahsoka, Rex, Padme along with a certain gungan named Jar Jar with the remaining clone troopers were securing the base. They were gathered in the bomb chamber examining all the cases of the Blue Shadow Virus bombs when one of the clones noticed there was one missing.

"Senator, you should see this, it's one of the virus bombs, it looks like the chamber that holds the virus is missing?" The clone trooper who noticed it was missing said.

Padme looked over at Ahsoka "That droid must have taken it." She said as everyone started to realize the danger they were in "Sound the alarm." She ordered quickly.

"How could droids have gotten ahold of the virus containers?" A clone in the hallway asked another as clones started to spread out throughout the base, "I don't know, but I don't want to be around when they set it off." His brother said.

The dup entered into a bomb chamber noticing they were all empty, but unaware of the droid holding a vial of blue shadow sneak in behind them. "We've already taken the virus containers out of these bombs."

"We'll just have to check them again." The other trooper pointed out, suddenly he spotted the droid holding the vial when he turned around.

"Hey, you." One of the clones snapped with another, the two of them ran at the droid into the vault when they saw it was arming one of the bombs with a vial of the virus. "Get away from there!" The other clone shouted trying to raise his blaster to shoot, but the droid pressed the activation switch, the bombs all erupted in unison blasting the clones to oblivion and releasing the virus.

"What was that?" Anakin asked aloud the landing platform shaking, down below Republic forces still in the base were almost knocked off their feet, Rex and Ahsoka had to grab hold of the wall to stay standing, but even they knew what it was as the alarms blared fro me very wall "Virus leak, get to the safe room." Rex yelled.

Ahsoka and Rex ran with four other clone troopers down the hallways as doors slammed shut around them, a wave of blue smoke rushing up behind them the virus given new life.

"Come on! There's the safe room!" Rex said when they were coming to the end of the hallway, at the other end was a red lighted room with closing doors fast approaching "No chance!" One clone cried.

"Hurry!" Rex beckoned as the doors were almost shut on them "The doors are closing!"

Ahsoka stopped just outside the doors "Don't worry." She told them using the force to keep the doors opened.

"Get inside, Captain." She ordered them, Rex and his brothers jumped inside trying to keep the door open when Ahsoka saw they were all safe she dove at the last second to get through the closing gap between each door, but even as she landed on the floor hard she saw small wisps of blue smoke disappear in front of the sealed door.

Topside, Anakin had shoved Vindi into the ship reaching for his com before Obi-Wan took him, Leo walked in to keeping an eye on Dr. Vindi as Obi-Wan forced him into the seat "Ahsoka, what is going on down there?" Anakin asked into the radio.,

"The droids released the virus, but we managed to seal the lab." Ahsoka reported back, Leo sighed in relief when he heard her voice.

Anakin seemed almost at ease two "And Padmé?"

"Haven't heard from her since the bomb." The Padawan replied

"Anakin, can you hear me?" The comlink suddenly beeped from another transmission Anakin quickly answered "Anakin?" It was Senator Amidalla.

"Padmé, I'm here." Anakin said his voice lifting with a worried content "Are you all right?."

Down in another sealed room, Padme was wearing a yellow eco suit with a helmet on, and two tubes coming out of it into the suit. Behind her a few clones were securing the door as Jar Jar binks ran around in a yellow suit screaming in terror.

"Yes, for the time being, Jar Jar and I were in a safety chamber when the alarm went off. We're wearing protective suits." She told him.

"The virus is loose, but Ahsoka has sealed off the entire facility." Anakin told her "Yes, but any remaining droids will try to break out." She said already realizing the true danger they were in.

"I'll do what I can to stop them, I cannot let that virus escape." Padme said sternly looking around the room to see Jar Jar was in shock still, "Be careful." Anakin said before they cut the transmission.

Padme put her comlink on her belt when she went to help Jar Jar, she picked up his helmet and spoke up to him "Put this on, Come on, Jar Jar, we're going to find Ahsoka we'll need her help to find those droids." She said walking to the clones next ready to leave.

Up on the bases landing platform safe from the virus, the jedi surrounded Dr. Vindi, Anakin took out his lightsaber making Leo reach for his, but when Obi-Wan didn't even reach for his Leo kept his saber sheathed "Where's the antidote, Vindi?" Leo's Master demanded.

"You mistake my role, Jedi my job was to manufacture a plague, not to cure it." Vindi chuckled gleefully a manically look in his eye.

"We don't have time for games." Anakin yelled leaning the lightsaber closer to Vindi's neck.

Patience, Anakin, there's more than one way to skin a womp rat."Obi-Wan said taking the less violent approach, Leo saw Obi-Wan give Vindi a nasty look and chimed in a swell "And cook them." He said trying to say something cool, both Knights and suddenly looked at Leo unsure of what he meant.

Leo noticed the looks he was getting and blushed seeing he had said something weird, "I- I'll be outside Masters."

"I said, where?" Anakin demanded again the tip of his laser sword an inch from Vindi's gray neck.

"Yes, kill me now and spare these old bones the blue shadow's dire embrace, because once the first droid breaks out of that laboratory, all Naboo is doomed!" Vindi laughed manically, Obi-Wan saw the man was clearly insane and rose to meet it with reason "The fastest way to save senator Amidala and Ahsoka is to get Vindi back to the capital and find an actual antidote."

Anakin sensed the wisdom in his masters words, turning off his lightsaber he looked at Leo standing outside "Leo." Anakin called.

The boy came rushing back into the ship ready to make up for his failure "We're taking this maniac back to Theed, I want you to secure the area and let the others know we'll save them."

Leo stood up straight and bowed "Yes General, what should I do if anyone appears to try and open the base from the outside?" Leo asked him.

"Do what you can." Anakin told him before he returned inside the ship, the ramp closed and took off heading back to the capital leaving Leo alone, but he sensed someone in the woods was watching him.

Deep underground inside the safe room one of the clones was at the monitor "Oh, no, no, no." The trooper said reading it correctly "Some of the virus got in here, we didn't close the door fast enough."

"We may be dead men, but we could still stop those droids." Rex said not ready to give up just yet.

Ahsoka shared his spirit "Don't worry. my Master will find a cure for this virus, we're not dead yet."

Their coms started to speak at their hips with padme's voice suddenly, "Is anyone out there, can anyone hear." Padme asked.

"Senator Amidala, we're trapped in the safe room at the end of the complex." Ahsoka told her already seeing some of the clones already starting to cough.

"We'll be right there, are you contaminated?" Padme asked her, even Ahsoka already started to feel the effects of the virus.

Ahsoka took a deep breath knowing she was inhaling the virus when she replied, "I'm afraid so."

Up above the base, Leo walked through the brush of the jungle, he came to a hidden entrance and looked to see it was still sealed. Reaching into his pocket and pulled out his comlink, "Ahsoka, Captain Rex can you hear me?"

"We hear you Leo, we've got bad news." Ahsoka said making his heart sink like a boulder in water, "Your infected with the virus?" Leo asked.

"Afraid so." Rex said as Leo sat down on the ground processing it.

Ahsoka spoke to him next "But don't worry, I'm sure Skyguy has already got a plan isn't that right master?"

"They actually left Ahsoka, Master Kenobi and the General took Dr. Vindi back to Theed, I've been left behind to make sure nothing else happens outside the base." Leo told them relaying their message.

"Alright, we'll let you know if anything changes on our end." Captain Rex said "understood captain." Leo said in a low voice not very optimistic. Down below in the safe room, Ahsoka walked a bit always from the clones as they prepared to stop the droids.

Ahsoka sighed, as she leaned on a wall for support "This doesn't look to good Rusty."

"I know Snips, but you'll be fine, I trust in the General." Leo said trying to sound confident despite the situation.

She was quiet for a very long time, Leo almost thought she'd cut off the communications before she took a deep breath, "I don't want to die down here."

"Your not going to, I promise." Leo said firmly "Thanks Rusty." Ahsoka said before she really did cut off the communications.

Leo put his comlink back on his belt and got up ready to go check on the other entrances when he stopped, something in the force was there watching him "Oh no, this situation looks dire indeed." Someone said, Leo reached for his lightsaber taking out the white blade to see emerging from the brush was the dark acolyte Tol Skorr.

Leo reached for his comlink, "Ah yes go ahead and contact your masters, I'll be long gone before they can get back here, or you can listen to my ultimatum that could save your friends."

The padawans fingers stopped just shy of the switch "Ultimatum?"

"Yes, my master has little doubt Skywalker and Kenobi will find a cure, but ventilating base is another matter." Tol Skorr pointed out.

Leo froze realizing that even if they got a cure, they'd still need to open the base doors releasing the now airborne blue shadow virus.

Lowering the comlink Leo put it back on his belt grabbing his lightsaber with both hands, "Talk."

Tol Skorr started to pace around Leo, "Within the main laboratory there is a prime control center, it will ventilate the compound and sanitize those left inside it'll be as if the virus never happened, but you need the right code to activate the failsafe."

"And you're not just going to give it to me?" Leo asked the Sith Acolyte, Skorr chuckled shaking his head "Not without getting something in return of course."

"What do you want?" Leo asked him, Skorr glared at him malice in each eye "A stone."

"A stone?" Leo asked him lowering his guard in disbelief "A very unique stone, deep in the swamps there is a temple at its heart lies the stone retrieve this for me and I will tell you the failsafe code don't and everyone on this planet will die?" Skorr said holding up both hands before lowering them at his side. Leo tried to sense if he was lying but the dark side stunk of the sith like a bad smell.

Suddenly Leo's comlink beeped, answering it quickly he never took his eyes off Tol Skorr "This is Rock."

"Leo, Obi-Wan and I are heading to Iego, there's a special root that we can make an antidote for, what's it looking like in the base any word from the others?" It was Anakins voice, when Leo heard it Tol Skorr seemed unfazed as the boy struggled to inform his master of the darksider or risk the lives of his friends "Ahsoka and Rex are contaminated, there going to try and keep the droids from getting out sir."

"... understood, we'll be back soon stay on guard, Skywalker out." Anakin ordered him, Leo put the comlink away when Anakin hung up and lowered his lightsaber turning it off "Where is the temple?" The boy asked.

Smiling at him Tol Skorr raised is arm pointing to a set of dead trees sticking out from the skyline of the trees, "Just beyond those dead trees, you'll find the swamp and the temple entrance better hurry Dr. Vindi said the virus's effects would take effect within hours." Tol Skorr taunted before Leo stopped.

"Why are you doing this?" Leo asked him "Because I can, because I sense you don't like being told to wait and let your friend die, like the jedi let me." Tol Skorr said.

He snarled at him "You don't know anything about me."

"I know this though, the force shall free me, now you better hurry." Tol Skorr said before Leo turned away.

The boy ran in the direction he was given leaving Tol Skorr alone, the acolyte reached into his robe and pulled out a holodevice to contact someone.

In the underground compound, the separatist droids began to move through the base trying to find a way out, two of them were on patrol in a hallway near where Padme and Jar Jar were sneaking around noticing all the doors were in emergency lockdown "All the doors are locked."

"How are we gonna get out?" The other droid asked "It's not our problem, boy, that's a relief." Neither of the droids noticed the senator and her gungan ally snooping past them "Senator Amidala, - where are you?" Ahsoka asked from inside the safety room which the Naboo were coming up too.

"We're right outside your safety room." Padme told her "Can you get the door open?" Ahsoka asked her, Padme knew opening it meant exposing the girl and her men to the virus's full effects but the price of fighting the droids alone and failing was to high to pay, so with a solemn voice Padme spoke "Go ahead, Jar Jar."

Padme could already tell Ahsoka was starting to get sick, she was a paler shade of orange "I'm sorry, Ahsoka."

"Don't worry about us, senator, we still have a job to do." Ahsoka said putting her fate aside for the greater good like a jedi should.

"There aren't very many droids left, we saw some heading toward the south entrance." Padme told them.

"As long as we're able, we'll help you destroy those droids before they breach the compound." She said as Captain Rex handed her a blaster rifle "You take the north corridor, and we'll take the south." Padme said already formulating a plan. Later, the heroes had found the droids already trying to break out from a hidden exit in the ceiling of the base, the droids outnumbered them but they had a jedi on their side.

"The droids are close." Padme said "I can hear them cutting through the wall." They gathered up around a corner to the droids, sparks were already raining down from the exit hatch. Padme sprung into action the others following her lead shooting bright blue laser blasts into the droids. One of them already climbed up the ladder as AHsoka and the other clones ran around the other end of the hallway taking out the droids reinforcement .

"Stop!" Rex barked

"Don't open that hatch." Padme pleaded up to the last droid.

"Too late." The droid laughed shooting at the exit only to get shredded by its own blaster bolt bouncing off the small tunnels walls before it fell out in scrap.

Ahsoka sighed in relief before she took out her comlink "Leo, we took out some droids trying to open the base, we're going to finish off the remaining droids."

At first there was no answer "Leo?" Ahsoka asked.

He replied in a panting breath the sound of tree branches and mud crumbling under his boot "Good to hear, Ahsoka the base has a failsafe system, it will ventilate the base and sanitize everything, I think I might have a way to get the code."

"Leo, that's great how did you figure that out?" Ahsoka asked him smiling at Padme.

Leo stopped in the middle of the jungle thinking up a lie quick "The- gungan she told me about a separatist outpost in the swamp, said droids were there I may be able to find the codes we need for the failsafe system." Leo said fast.

"Alright, we'll see you when this is over… I hope." Ahsoka said cutting the transmission. Leo resumed his run into the jungle passing over fallen logs and dead branches, soon the green fauna of the jungle started to fade. The smell of rotting vegetation filled his nostrils with the air turning wet. He could hear bubbling in the distance built his vision started to get cloudy from the thick fog. He slowed down no longer able to see three feet in front of his face, going onward he slipped into a thick puddle of mudd recognizing he had arrived at the swamp. Taking a deep breath he started to hear something, something in the force something in the fag. His hand lifted up sending a wave of force to clear the fog. The swamp appeared before him still water surrounded by dead trees sticking out of the ground like spears as far as the eye could see, except for a large center. Leo walked toward the waters wadding into it knee depth "Temple, where's the- that lying separatist…" Leo stopped when he stumbled forward almost falling into the water when he realized it wasn't a drop of it was the beginning of a staircase. Up close to the water, Leo saw the temple was there deep under the swamp.

Reaching behind into his belts pockets he pulled out a breathalyzer, biting down on it he felt oxygen being ventilated into his lungs before he dove head first into the water. Deep beneath the surface he dove into its black waters but the deeper down he went the clearer his vision got till he saw beneath the muddy waters there lay a Sith Temple, it was built like a pyramid with the remains of four pillars on each end, only one left in tact, no fish or seaweed grew around its entrance but Leo did see bubbles rising from its cracks making him think there had to be air pockets deeper in.

He paddled his feet to the entrance and saw nothing and felt nothing but pure darkness, it called to him beckoned him inward, he didn't have much of a choice. Leo took out his lightsaber to give him some light and swam into the underwater temple, the water was bone chilling numbing his arms but the warmth of his saber and its light kept him going until he saw it flicker ahead of him. The surface of an air pocket, he rose slowly out of the water, robes soaked. The temple hallways were adorned with ancient carvings of the sith language, statues of beings looking like they were in pure agony held up the ceiling. Water dropped from its cracks dripping into small puddles around Leos face, holding his lightsaber close the Padawan ventured deeper into the dark hallways.

"Whats this… whats this….. whats this."

Leo spun around hearing a voice coming up behind him but he saw nothing but his own shadow. The cold waters from his robes began to affect him, making him shiver, but he shook it off and walked on ahead. The hallways began to turn and wind, when he found one caved in he headed down the other. Leo stopped when he came to a spiraling staircase going even deeper into the planet. When he took his first step on the staircase, the voice came back.

"It's a jedi…. its a jedi…. its a Jedi."

Freezing again, Leo looked around and tried to listen but only heard the sounds of water flushing around him. Seizing his courage, Leo ran down the staircase his lightsaber showing carvings of Sith Lords of old, the Old Empire Reborn, the carvings of the Sith Triumvirate, Revan, Darth Bane, the War of Light and so on. When the staircase ended, Leo was in a much bigger hallway held up by dark black pillars of marble, the veins glowed red from some magma like glow.

"You dare enter here…. you dare enter here… you'd are enter-" "SHUT UP!" Leo screamed into the shadows panting.

Leo walked forward one hand holding the lightsaber tight, the other clenched in a fist, "You think the creepy voice thing is going to work on me?" He gasped his voice trembling, the answer was worse, it was a low rumbling chuckle like thunder it cracked the very air like lighting when it turned into a roar of laughter. The whole temple began to shake and parts of it crumbled around Leo making him have to run deeper into the cavernous hallway. The red veins of the marble pillars started to glow illuminating the floor cracks too.

"Who are you?" Leo asked.

The laugh stopped and the voice that had taunted him suddenly spoke "Who… am… I?" It asked, the cracks in the floor started to spread ahead of him into carvings on the floor. Written in the sith language with skulls and flames drawn around them.

"Who am I who made the Jedi cower in fear?" It said as the red light surrounded him ready to devour his white lightsaber.

"Who am I, who bathed the stars in blood?" It said in a low growl.

"Who made mother's smile when they smothered their younglings rather then let them suffer my wrath?" The red lights of the floor reached up two flights of stairs, where Leo thought he saw chest, but it was a tomb.

"WHO AM I WHO THE JEDI FEARED SO MUCH THE HID MY NAME FROM HISTORY!" The voice roared around him, Leo grabbed his ears trying to protect them from the dark side energy he was feeling. The tomb rattled before the top of the sarcophagus cracked open, Leo saw red flames erupt from the depths and a dark black hand rose from it, grabbing the edge of the tomb Leo watched as the voice's owner emerged.

"I WHO AM SITH!" Leo stood face to face with the remains of a Sith Lord, mummified in rotting bandages, adorned in golden sith armor with ancient gems encrusted into it, a top crown covered his head and brow with two red eyes looking at him. Leo backed up as it emerged from the tomb in its other hand he saw a dark black hilt that when it raised it toward him, a flaming red lightsaber emerged from it.

Leo was trembling, the fear of the temple invading his very soul "Come little jedi, meet oblivion." The mummy said walking toward him, Leo found he couldn't move.

"I sense fear in you little jedi, you have come here in hopes of… saving someone you care about, ugh?" The phantom sith said ending on a curious noise.

"Compassion such a redundant jedi trait, one that will cost you!" The sith swung his massive blade at him, Leo suddenly found his legs and jumped out of the way but the Phantom was on him in a matter of a second. Chopping and hacking away at Leo's defense, the boy was too small to take on the full blows he had to parry and dodge just to stay on his feet.

When he was being pressed Leo saw the Sith left an opening, he pounced on it swinging his lightsaber at the Sith, but the sith hit him with a force push throwing him into one of the pillars, "Ha you have some fire in you after all."

Leo could taste blood in his mouth when he got up, spitting it out training both eyes on the Sith "Hmmm you mask your fear well with your anger, your hatred now release it."

Leo looked at the floor realizing the Sith was toying with him, smashing his fist into the ground the Padawan got to his feet, "What are you going to do mummy, talk me to death?"

The phantom looked almost insulted before it rose to its full towering height, "How about tortured to death." The Sith phantom said holding up its bones wrapped fingers. Leo felt it grab the air around his neck and lift him up by the neck, "Not so smug are we little jedi?" The Phantom asked him, Leo looked around the temple for something to free himself with but the siths grip was tight.

Far away back in the underground compound, a group of droidikas ambushed Ahsoka and the others. Ahsoka jumped into action like Padme did before, attacking the shield generating droids deflecting their shots and taking all the flak for the clones to move up. the Padawan jumped up onto one of the droidikas and drover her saber through its shield "This-a help." Jar Jar said grabbing a grenade from Rex's belt and throwing at the droids.

"Jar Jar, no." Padme said before the Grenada exploded sending the droids scrap toward them slicing the oxygen tube on her suits helmet.

As everyone got up being knocked down from the blast, "Senator! Senator, your suit's been compromised." Ahsoka said seeing the damage in Padme's suit, she ran up to her friend and knelt down "I'm so sorry."

"Don't blame yourself, these things tend to happen in a war zone." Padme said taking off her helmet, knowing she was infected now but undeterred to stop the droids.

Ahsoka's veins had stared to show from in hailing to much of the gas, Ahsoka turned around and walked away as Padme got up reaching into her comlink "Leo?"

All she got was static "Leo come in?"

Back in the underwater temple, Ahsoka's signal could barely get through all it got was static "-zzzt -zzzt L-zzt." The sith phantom worked his force grip around Leo's neck "I miss this, I truly do having you pathetic jedi at my mercy where you belong."

Leo opened his green eyes almost rolling back into his head before something within him snapped, a force repulse exploded out of Leo breaking him free of the Sith Lords grip knocking the phantom back in a "Gyah!" When the Padawan hit the temple floor he grabbed his lightsaber and dove for the shadows, as the Phatnom recovered it had started to chuckle again.

"Oh that's brilliant, your making this so much more interesting jedi."

Crouching behind one of the pillars, the Phantom started to search through him in the force looking around the halls of his tomb "Where… are you?"

Leo said nothing taking deep breaths, centering himself squeezing trembling hands around his lightsaber "How your thoughts betray you, I can feel the ones you want tos ave slowly slipping from the force."

"You cannot save them." The sith phantom said "They, like you will all die."

"NO!" Leo screamed coming out from one of the pillars leaping off the ground Leo brought his lightsaber down onto the Sith Phantoms head only to be blocked, Leo grabbed some of the fallen rocks of the tombs ceiling and hurled them at the sith. The sith sliced the stones a part before Leo attacked him from the side, he swung at the siths legs but was parried again "Yes, use your aggressive feelings they will make you strong."

Leo tried to shut the sith phantom out but the harder he tried the angrier he became slowly the sith started to overpower him turning his blade upward and back toward the jedi. He saw some of the stones the sith had sliced behind the giant and had an idea, Leo through his lightsaber away and dove barrel rolling around the sith picking up one of the stones with both hand, Leo let out a yell and smashed the back of the mummies knee.

The Sith Phantom screamed as it tumbled to the ground, when it rolled over it saw Leo standing over its ghostly remains the stone raised above his head, the Sith red eyes looked up in awe "You're Magnificent."

"DIEEEEE!" Leo smashed the stone down on the siths wrapped up head, he shattered its crown and skull the red light escaping from his eyes, Leo brought the rubble down like a hammer over and over till there was nothing left from the siths head like a hammer on an anvil, he dropped it panting hard as the glowing cracks in the floor and walls started to subside, leaving Leo alone in the darkness. But then there was a light, coming from the most unusual place the very chest of the Sith's already rotting corpse. Leo gazed at the chest and saw embers like the coals of a dying fire coming from his chest. He slowly started to realize where the stone he was after was, he grabbed onto the wrappings around the siths chest and tore them off snapping the old bones from its rib cage, Leo felt where the siths heart should be only to find no heart at all but a stone. Leo pulled it out and saw it deep red glow coming from it pulsing like a real heart.

Back in the Separatist compound, the Republic forces had finished off the last droids and were walking into the control room, it had red lights still on and everyone was starting to look worse for ware except Jar Jar who still had his suit on.

One of the clones suddenly collapsed on a wall, with Rex running up to him "What a waste." Padme said as Rex took of his helmet, all of them were starting to show signs of contamination.

"With all due respect, Senator, It's what they're born to do." Rex said pulling the clones eyes shut for the last time.

"I hope that their sacrifice brings us closer to peace." Padme said her voice wheezing out of her lungs.

"It will, Padmé, you must believe that… that they'll save us." Ahsoka said weakly before she collapsed into Rex's ready arms as he rushed over to catch her before she fell "Ahsoka!"

Up above in the woods, Leo had the stone tucked under his arm like a rugby ball, he broke into the clearing where he found Tol Skorr standing hands behind his back. When Leo returned Tol Skorr smiled turning around "I told you he wouldn't fail milord."

Leo was confused at first when he thought Tol was talking to him, when out of the shadows of the trees emerged Count Dooku. Leo tore out his lightsaber still holding the stone "I brought you the stone, give me the code." Leo barked.

"Hmmm he is a rather rambunctious youngling." Count Dook said getting closer, Leo backed away at first before he pointed is lightsaber at the stone "No closer, you want this dumb rock give me the failsafe codes."

Tol Skorr was smiling pervasively at Leo's defiance "We had a deal."

"I am altering the deal pray I do not alter it again, you wish to save your friends young jedi you must take that stone and with it birth a crystal." Count Dooku said gesturing to the rock.

Leo gaped at him "Birth a… what are you talking about I thought you wanted it?"

"Do you feel that?" Dooku asked him getting closer, the Sith Lord closed his yellow eyes "I can feel their strength fading, even now they will be gone soon."

Leo looked down as they stood over the base, he could see them, see the clones lying dead, Captain Rex was holding Ahsoka closely on the floor with Padme sitting next to Jar Jar who held her hand while they coughed their last "I… I can't, crystals can't be forced?"

Dooku opened his eyes "There are many things the jedi say one cannot do, focus you are far stronger then you know."

Leo lowered his lightsaber and looked at the stone, seeing he had no choice Leo sheathed the blade and held the stone in both hands, he started to channel the force into the stone making it glow even more "Harness your emotions, channel your aggression into this stone bend the force within to your will." Dooku said to him.

Gritting his teeth Leo did as he was told, he thought on the others and how they felt their own fear was his own, the aggression from the rising winds around him, the stone suddenly cracked caving in on itself slowly starting to implode "The force is within all things yet we control it, you are its master not it, show me now."

The stone's outer layer started to fall away, the jagged sharp edges of crystalline rock appeared pulsing with the force coming from him 'I… I can't.. I can't hold it." Leo gasped dropping to his knees cupping his hands together eyes shut, he was barely conscious when he felt a soft hand on his shoulder, raising him up Leo looked to see Count Dooku raise the boys chin up before he looked down into Leo's hands, between both palms sat a blood red kyber crystal.

"Impressive, most imrpivessive." Count Dooku said slowly turning around "Tol Skorr." Count Dooku said.

"Yes my master." Tol said reaching into his robes and throwing Leo a data drive.

Leo was speechless when he saw the codes before him, he held the crystal in one hand and picked up the codes "But… but your crystal?" Leo asked them.

"No my boys your crystal." Count Dooku said walking away pulling up his hood "One word and I can have the entire Republic Navy here." Leo said back to him.

Dooku and Tol Skorr looked at one another "We know, but you risk giving up your friends by transferring them the codes and even then do you think the war will be won?" Dooku asked. Leo didn't have time to decide he looked at the codes then at the crystal and when he looked back up at the sith they were both gone.

"Damn it all." Leo threw the crystal away and took out his comlink "Rex, Captain Rex do you hear me?"

The clone captains voice was weak when he responded "... Commander Rock is that you?"

"Yes, I have the failsafe codes, sending them to you now." Captain Rex slowly got to his feet, laying Ahsoka down he stumbled to the control rooms computer "Senator Binks- we- we need to hurry." Rex said, Jar Jar got up "Hold on milady." Jar Jar begged looking at Padme before he helped Rex get to the computer, Rex entered the codes and the system turned on with a green light. The blue fumes of the virus started to get sucked into the lower vents as the ceiling vents began to cycle in fresh air.

"Its working Leo, its working." Rex said finally collapsing.

"Captain, Captain?" Leo asked but he was getting another call from another comlink, Leo answered it "Leo, Obi-Wan and I have the antidote we're on our way." Anakin said, Leo sighed in relief before he heard something, a whisper in the force a few feet away from him the red crystal was calling to him.

LATER

Eventually, Anakin and Obi-Wan had returned with help, Leo had found his way back to them as well with medical droids brining out the survivors on stretchers. "I spoke with the medical droid, he expects you to make a full recovery." Anakin said next to Padme's stretcher, she was pale her veins showing under her pale pearlier skin but she was smiling so bright it could melt Hoth.

"I never lost faith in you, none of us did." Padme said up to Anakin.

"That's good to hear, 'cause there were a few moments where we weren't so sure of ourselves." Anakin said leaning in close squeezing her hand, she weakly squeezed it back letting him know he had her love.

Smiling still she whispered to him "Well, you did make it, by the way your padawans were brilliant both of them." Padme said looking over at Ahsoka who was on a stretcher too, held by medical droids. But Leo on the other hand was kneeling in front of the clones who'd died who had given their lives to save Naboo. Anakin could see Leo's head was bowed a hand pressed on one of the clone troopers armored chest.

"I trust I'll see you soon, General Skywalker?" Padme asked him.

"Of course, my lady." Anakin said before she was loaded up onto a drop ship that would take them to get better treatment.

In the background, Jar Jar was struggling to get out of his environmental suit "I heard you were quite brave fending off the battle droids, Jar Jar." Obi-Wan said coming to help him, pulling off the helmet from the gungan head.

"Really?" Jar Jar asked.

"Senator Amidala suggested we offer you training to help hone your skills with a blaster." Obi-Wan told him, Jar Jar started to clap his hands and dance in joy from the news.

"Really? Really, oh, boy I'm a-gonna be trained." Jar Jar said as Captain Rex was brought by them in line to get on the ship behind Ahsoka, he was also stuck on a stretcher.

Moaning out in fear Rex was able to say "I am not training him."

"You did a fantastic job today, Snips." Anakin said to Ahsoka as she was put on the ship "All thanks to your training, Master." Ahsoka said back her eyes barely open.

"Yeah, you're right, I probably do deserve most of the credit but not all of it." Anakin said smugly hands on his hips, his cheerful attitude back in play.

She brushed it off not worried if he was serious "Good thing I know you don't mean everything you say, but Rusty helped to."

"Pilot, get these two out of here" Anakin said before the ships tarted to take off Ahsoka had one more hitting to say "Thank you, Master."

Anakin watched the ship go off into the blue sky, he walked over to Leo who was still knelt over the dead clone troopers "You did well Leo."

The Padawan got up slowly "Thank you Master I wish… I wish I could have saved more?"

"So do I Leo, but sometimes the hardest part about being a jedi is saving those you can and trying to live with the ones you couldn't believe me I know the will of the force is a fickle thing." Anakin said to him, Anakin let Leo mourn the death of the clones in peace before Leo mumbled something beneath his breath.

"The force shall free me."

"What was that?" Anakin asked unsure of what he'd heard as he was leaving, Leo started to follow him "Nothing General, just ready for our next adventure." Leo said hands behind his back and between his fingers was the red crystal he'd made.


	7. Storm over Ryloth

COURSCANT, JEDI TEMPLE

After successfully stopping the spread of the blue shadow virus, the heroes of the Republic return home to Courscant to rest and lick there wounds. Recovering in the Jedi infirmary was Padawan Ahsoka Tano, with fellow Padawan Leo Rock.

"Leo... I'm not ready..." Ahsoka whimpered.

"Yes you are, just open your mouth and swallow." He said back.

She shook her head "No, I can't it's too big and there's now way I can take it all at once." She protested but Leo didn't care.

"Your going to put it in your mouth and your going to like it. Even if I have to hold your nose and shove it down your throat." He said forcefully as Ahsoka quivered "Your terrible Leo..." as she opened her mouth, Leo took what he was holding and put the spoon of medicine in her mouth. Ahsoka gagged on it the second after she tried swallowed. Ahsoka was resting in a medical bed with a pillow behind her lekku she had one white medical robe and pants, and was under a blanket. Sitting behind a backward chair was Leo. He had a spoon in one hand a canister of what looked like medicine in his hands, he wore his casual green tunic over his black pants. "Please ugh no more that stuff tastes disgusting.

Leo groaned rolling his eyes "The medic said it has to be consumed orally for the strongest affect." He reminded her the small torgrutan whined "I can deal with being paralyzed but I can't deal with this awful medicine." She hissed crossing her arms "It's not suppose to taste like jumba juice." He said she glared at him as he put the spoon back into the medicine and leaned on the back of the chair facing forward. "I swear if I could move my legs I'd kick you below the belt." She hissed at him crossing her arms and leaning against her beds pillow "No doubt you could, but the General ordered you to rest and take your medicine."

Ahsoka grumbled at herself "Why is it when your sick you disobey and fight with clones and I have to follow orders?" She asked him he shrugged "I wasn't sick, I was injured." He pointed out as the girl glared at him. Ahsoka groaned as she laid back, "Just don't go to Ryloth without me." Leo got up and walked to the door "I doubt the General could even get there without you."

Later he stood on one of the balconies over looking Courscant he had one foot on the edge, while he leaned crossed on it arm over the other the wind blowing through his orange locks. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the dark glowing red Sith crystal. It glowed faintly in his hands, as he leaned on the railing a heavy breeze ruffled his hair. He could feel the dark side energy even stronger then the breeze and remembered what had happened on Naboo.

Count Dooku

The dead Sith Lord.

The power he had felt when he made the crystal. It levitated the small crystal in his hands the he made it do a couple of flips and spin till he sensed something "Padawan Rock?" He dropped the crystal into his hand and turned around hands behind himself crystal hidden in his fist. He turned around to see Anakin walking up behind him "General?" He said formally standing at attention, Anakin smirked "At ease Leo." Anakin said as the boy loosened up, "Credit for your thoughts?" He asked him Walking up to the balcony. Leo kept the crystal hidden behind his back "Just... Thinking." Leo replied looking at the floor then back at Anakin "About what?"

"Naboo." Leo said to him "Ah you still need to submit your report, I know it's hard being a hero." Anakin said smugly while the boy did not "I sense there's more?" He asked the boy.

He nodded at the General "Master... What do you know about the dark side?" He asked the knight.

Anakins smug grin turned serious "I thought we already talked about that?" He asked Leo shook his head "Yes Sir, but... What is it, why do the Jedi not use it how do we understand it?" Leo asked him Anakin held up his hand "Hold up hold up slow down Leo."

Leo took a breath "Forgive me General sorry to have bothered you." He said back about to turn away "Whoa whoa hold up Rusty." Anakin said to Leo using his nickname "I'm still your Master for the time being..." He said looking the boy right in the eye "The Dark Side also at its core is everything we as Jedi are not."

"I know that General, I know we've had this conversation over and over but I still don't know." Leo said shoving his hands in his pockets the crystal too before he removed them and leaned on the edge "The light is life the darkness is death I know, but I don't understand, how can I know which is better if I don't know everything about them." He said back to Anakin who scratched his chin, "It is the way of the Jedi to seek knowledge and understanding of the force, to master it and harness it..."

RESOLUTE

ENROUTE TO RYLOTH

"Before it masters us."

Leo sat on the edge of his own Jedi star fighter the red crystal in his hands. He looked at it deeply. The hanger of the ship was filled with fighters, and clones moving around the ship, as Leo looked at the crystal he didn't even notice Ahsoka was in the hanger looking for him. She looked around the clones till she spotted his back on the star fighter. She smiled seeing him before walking up to him "Hey Rusty what you got there?" She asked Leo quickly shoved the crystal into his pocket "Nothing... Is there something you want?"

Ahsoka waved him "Easy Rusty, just wanted to talk." She said walking up to him and taking a spot next to him.

"Don't you have a command to get ready for?" He asked next to her. Ahsoka leaned forward and rubbed her right arm "That's just it Leo." She said looking at the floor as her legs dangled odd the end of the ship like his. "This is my first command?" She said looking back at him from the floor.

Leo was hunched over with his left elbow resting on his knee and right hand on the other "Are you asking for advice?"

She nodded sheepishly, "When General Krell gave me my first command, he told me that my duty was to finish whatever our objective was, to win if at the cost of my men's life." He said he back to her "Sounds pretty blunt what if I fail?" She asked him.

He shook his head "I can't tell you, failure is different for everyone." She said heard him say as he looked up.

A brief pause filled the air before Ahsoka hesitated in saying "Leo... About Naboo?" She asked.

The boy froze feeling the kiba crystal on his pocket feel very heavy, it lightened instantly as Ahsoka took her left hand off her right arm and placed it on his right hand, "I just wanted to thank you again, not for saving us but for you know..." She said slightly squeezing his hand.

"No I don't?" He asked.

She looked him dead in the eye, "Ahsoka, Leo?" Both there wrist communicators came alive with Anakins voice as both young Jedi looked down "Yes Master?"

"Both of you get ready for the assault." He said.

Ahsoka got up from her spot next to him, and started to walk over to her star fighter, "Hey Ahsoka, what was it you were going to say, about Naboo?" Leo asked him.

Ahsoka gave a smirk "I'll tell you when we get back."

Leo nodded at her as a dark brown and white Astro droid strode up to him and beeped "Huh... What are you?" The Astro droid gave a whistling noise with a burping beep "Arsix... My copilot?"

The droid nodded "Alright, let's go."

Later, both padawans and clones were in their fighters. As the clones checked in one by one with Ahsoka, Leo had one hand on the controls the other on the crystal. "Green squadron you there?" Leo snapped out of the crystals hypnotic trance and put it away, "Green squadron here, all wings report in." Leo said to the clone fighters behind him, "This is Mace checking in." Leo's second said as the other squad members all signed in "Cobra checking in."

"Boots, checking in." Another said, "Screw checking in for what's it's worth." Then the final one "Dread checking in, let's turn these droids into scrap." The last one growled.

The fighters all approached the Separatist blockade, their were three frigates on the sides of a single Droid Command ship, the large crescent and ball shape was half ship half fortress. Leo kept his ship in front of his fighters at a steady pace, "Alright, Green Squadron everyone on mother bird." Leo ordered, as the ships prepared for battle.

Just as the ships got nearer to the droid ships, "Heads up we got Vultures heading out way." Axe the second in command to Ahsoka said as droid Vulture star fighter ships flew towards them. "All fighters enage." Ahsoka ordered, all the ships opened fire as they flew toward one another and the interstellar dog fight began. Blaster fire flew through the voids of space as Leo took down a few droid fighters. Ahsoka did the same moving her way through the swarm of mechs. While the clone fighters did the same.

"Mace you got two on your tail, Dread help him out." Leo ordered as he flew around space dodging blaster fire, "Happy to commander." Dread replied in his gruff voice. The clone did as he was ordered and rescued his brother from the droids. Suddenly Leo had two of his own droids following, "Commander you got two on your tail?" Cobra said, as Leo looked behind to see the droid fighters closing in. "I see them, continue with the plan." Leo ordered as he banked left hard making his the droids fly so close as they turned making them crash into one another.

Leo and the fighters broke through the first wave right behind Ahsokas "You still with me Rusty?" Ahsoka asked him.

"Now and forever Snips." Leo said as he and her flew side by side, "Alright boys lets make a run for the command ship."

As the two padawans soared through the dog fighting, Leo looked around at some of the droids, as clone fighters shot them down Leo could hear something in the force. "Ahsoka, somethings not right?" he said as he spun his fighter over taking out another fighter.

"Relax Rusty I'm here." Ahsoka said back through their communications, just as she said that three of Leos squadron blew up "Green Leader, Seperaist reinforcements just dropped out of hyperspace." Mace said as Leo looked up toward the droid blockade and saw about three frigates appear from the edge of the system. "This is Green Leader to Mother Bird, we have to fall back." Leo snapped at Ahsoka, "No we're almost there." Ahsoka said with her and some of her squadron pulling ahead into the thick of droid vultures.

Just as Leo had said that Anakin came on the comms, "Ahsoka, Leo it's a trap order your men to pull back." The general said from the command ship.

"You heard the General men fall-" "No, your just overreacting I can do this." Ahsoka snapped back as Leo saw Dreads ship go up in flames with fire, and Boots ships wing get blown off taking him with it. "Green Leader to Green squadron any remaining ships fall back now, I'll cover you."

Ahsoka looked back to see the very few fighters left of Green squadron pull back, "Leo what are you doing?!" Ahsoka barked at him "Ahsoka it's a trap, you have to get your men out now!" Leo shouted through his communicator as he was spinning his fighter around doing barrel rolls into oncoming droid fire.

"Padawan I am ordering you to fall back." Anakin demanded from the Resolute, "Axe you still with me?" Ahsoka asked her second "Got two on my tail commander I-" before he could finish Axes fighter was taken by droid fire. "Ahsoka, you've lost half your squadron we have our orders we need to-"

BOOM

Leos fighters left engine got shout out, "LEO!" Ahsoka shouted, "I'm hit- controls not responding." Leo stammered as his ship flew out of control straight toward the separatist blockade.

"Leo, whats going on?" Anakin asked through the comms "Controls fired General, I have to try and land it planet side threw the blockade." Leo said as his ship soared past confederacy gunfire right to the planet of Ryloth below.

Back in the _Resolute_, Anakin lost contact with Leos ship "Leo… Leo come in?" Anakin asked but was answered by static.

RYLOTH

Leos ears were ringing as his eyes cracked open, he saw sun shinning down through a cracked cockpit windshield. As his other senses returned he tried to move but felt a rush of pain to his forehead. He grabbed is head and winced as he felt dried blood on his forehead. "Guess I hit my head?" he asked himself as he wiped away some of the blood. After that he pressed the release button on the cockpit opening it and unbuckled his seatbelt. "Arsix whats our status?" he asked the astromech droid but no answer came only the sound of sparking wires. He looked up to see the R6 units top had been shattered open on the left side in the crash. Speaking of he looked around his starfighter had been totally trashed. He sighed "Ahsoka will kill me." He said as he got off the wrecked fighter.

He took a moment to see where he was, it was a jungled woods of some kind. Dark brown trees and brown soil surrounded him except for the fallen trees his fighter had made on entry. Suddenly he heard a loud beeping and looked back to see Arsix pop out of the ships astromech cockpit. "Your still alive?" he asked. The droid beeped angrily at him, Leo frowned "Ok ok." He said back as it rolled up to him.

"Where are we?" he asked the droid, it beeped at him "Yes I know it's Ryloth what part?" he asked it booped at him.

Leo glared at the droid "Somewhere on Ryloth… thank you." He said back looking away from the droid as it beeped at him.

Arsix made a few more whistles and beeping at him, he looked back at the droid annoyed "What do you mean a life form is approaching?" he asked as all of a sudden a thundering crash came out of the trees. A gigantic two horned red eyed monster appeared. It was the size of a gunship with two blood red eyes, dark greenish grey skin razor sharp fangs and claws with two giant legs and long spiked tail. Arsix beeped at him "Oh… that life form."

The monster roared at him ran right at him jaws wide open. Leo dove out of the way and looked at Arsix, "Arsix get out of-." Leo ordered but the droid was already fleeing the area "-Here…"

Leo looked up at the creature as it roared at him. The boy tore out his white lightsaber and the creature roared seeing it. He felt the red kiba crystal start to burn inside his robes "Come and get your throat cut you oversized gecko." He hissed holding up his saber. The monster charged him and so did Leo, the monster opened it's large jaws and was ready to swallow him in one bite. Leo leapt out of the way and swung his lightsaber up and slashed across the creatures scaled face. It howled in agony and rage at the burning wound. As soon as Leo got up and saw his attack had landed. The creatures tail swung around and sent Leo right into a tree. He landed against the tree and fell to the ground on his hands and knees. He gripped his hand into a fist clenching the dirt. Raising his right hand he lifted up some rocks and flung at the creatures side.

It shattered at it didn't even seem to hurt it, but it did appear to make it even madder.

He got up and rolled his shoulder, he growled as the monster lunged forward. Dodging it the creature took the tree in its jaws and ripped it out of the ground. It turned around and bit down crushing the tree shattering it. Leos eyes got wide seeing the wood go everywhere. It stomped its feet roaring one more time. Leo held his saber up ready to go again when all of a sudden three smoke bombs exploded in between him and the creature.

Leo looked around to see where they had come from, he saw someone hiding in the bushes. It was a Twi'lek, obviously from the lekku; the twi'lek had reddish pink skin and was wearing a white head wrap around there shoulders and head showing only there eyes. They were a white tunic with blue tint on the sleeves and collar. Dark brown pants and a brown vest with a blaster belt and leather gloves hiding in the thicket. "That won't stop him for long human." Leo looked at the smoke and saw the creature through it before he ran after the twi'lek. He tore through the thicket after the twi'lek the monster roaring behind them.

After a few minutes of running he followed the twi'lek into a clearing, "Are we safe?" He asked as the twi'lek stopped. The twi'lek took off there hood to reveal a twi'lek wearing head dress and was also a girl "We are." He looked up to see about a dozen other twi'leks all holding blasters "Your not."

RESOLUTE

Ahsoka walked out of the medical wing of the cruiser, arms crossed she looked back to see Rex with the wounded Admiral Yuralen. She walked all the way to the hanger of the ship to see Anakin working on her starfighter "No Artoo the other one." Anakin said as he was underneath the starfigthter. The astromech handed Anakin a small piece of machinery "Yeah that's the one." He said as he took it. Ahsoka approached as he said "That ought to do it."

She patted Artoo on the head "You wanted to see me master?" she asked him.

He looked up and rolled out under the star fighter "Ahsoka, hand me that socket plug." He said as Artoos head opened up and the tool appeared. She took it and handed it to him.

"Here." She said as he took it "Thanks snips, how are you feeling?" he asked her, she avoided his gaze as she said "Oh I'm fine master." She said hiding her guilt from the battle "Just fine."

Anakin nodded as he went back down below "Good, I'm going to need you level headed if we're going to pull this off." He said as Ahsoka looked at him confused "Pull this off, pull what off?" she asked him.

He kept working on her starfighter "I spoke with Master Windu, we are to proceed with the attack on the blockade." "What?" she gasped astounded "B-but we cant I-I-" she tried to find the right words. As she fumbled over the Anakin rolled out from under it. "Ahsoka, we have to break that blockade." He explained to her "The twi'leks on Ryloth are depending on us."

"I understand that Master, but we've lost so many men, and we lost Leo, did we get more support-" "No, we have to make due with the forces we have." He said looking away "And I need to come up with a plan."

The torgrutan looked aghast "You don't even have a plan?" she asked him, "Don't worry Ahsoka." "NO! you said that before and now everyones gone both Leo and my squadrons and even himself included, for all we know he's dead in a his own speeder, or shot out of the sky by droid fire or worse-" "Ahsoka." Anakin said with a bit more force in his voice "We can't just smash through that blockade."

Suddenly Anakins communicator came alive, Ahsoka and Anakin glared at one another, "Skywalker here?" He said answering the communicator "General Skywalker your needed on the bridge." It said with Rexs voice.

"Go to your quarters and cool off, we'll finish this later." Anakin growled at her she walked off and when she arrived at her own quarters she looked out the window out into space. "Leo… I hope your doing better then we are."

RYLOTH

Leo looked at the twi'leks armed with blasters all aimed at him. "Give it up jedi, your surrounded" the lead twi'lek a girl. Leo looked at them all and felt the kiba crystal start to burn a bit but ignored it. "Yeah I'm surrounded…. By fear" he turned on his saber and held it up. He looked at all the twi'leks and saw they were all fully grown adults while the girl in front was about his age. "You think we're afraid of you?" she asked arms crossed as the twi'leks took aim.

Leo held his blae at the ready "You should be." Before the twi'leks could open fire a loud screetchign sound of an astromech howled as Arsix cam running out of the woods. It started beeping and screetching at Leo, who glanced down at him "You ran away from me Arsix." Leo said as he looked at all the twi'leks as a few started to lower there blasters. Arsix beeped at him again "Not now you bucket of bolts." Arsix finally looked at the twi'leks. It finally started to beep repeatedly at them and Leo.

"What's that droid saying?" the twi'lek girl asked. Leos eyes got wide as he heard the droid "You got droids inbound." Leo said taking a step the twi'leks looked at one another "Where?" she asked him. Arsix beeped at him, he ran right at them and leapt over them "Behind you." As he spoke a super battle droid appeared out of the jungle.

The twi'leks opened fire as droids marched through the brush. Some ran to the opposite tree line for cover as more were shot down. Leo dodged the blasters fire and deflected them even more. Back at the droids as he sliced one in half. The twi'lek girl who had led him into the ambush fell back behind a fallen log as Arsix ran away, again.

"We still shoot the jedi?" one of the twi'leks asked her, "Droids or Jedi?" she asked looking over as Leo sliced through the horde of droids appearing out from the jungle. He sliced one in half, crushed another with the force and deflected blaster fire into about seven of them "Droids." She said as Leo saw a separatist droid tank push itself out of the trees crushing some of the droids that had already fallen. Leo ran back out of sight of the droid tank and jumped over the same log the twi'lek girl was behind. The second they saw one another they both said "There after us" the girl said referring to the other twi'leks and Leo to him and Arsix. "Wait what?" they both asked at the same time.

"This group of droids have been after us for weeks." She snapped at him, Leo looked over and ducked as blaster fire burned the bark of the fallen log. "Wait?" Leo asked "Your Ryloth military?" he asked her.

The twi'lek with her who was firing over the log laughed "Military, try resistance." He said back "Then why were trying to shoot me, we're on the same side?" he asked. The twi'lek girl held up her blaster pistol "It's… complicated." Leo looked over at the tank as it fired into the tree line taking out half the twi'leks.

"Tell me when I get back." He said leaping over the rock. Some of the droids saw him rushing toward the tank his saber drawn "Blast him." One said before having its head sliced off. He cut through more droids as he got closer to the tank. Inside it the droids saw him coming "Shoot him, shoot him." One of the droids cried frantically as the twi'leks saw him take on the tank.

It aimed its barrel right at him and Leo sensed the droid inside firing, the blaster cannon exploded and Leo side stepped dodging the cannon fire by centimeters before slashing his saber across the tanks side, and the twi'leks watching it explode taking almost all the droids with it.

When the dust cleared the only droids left were instantly cut down by twi'lek blaster fire. They all looked into the smoke of the burning remains of the tank that been destroyed. Out of the smoke Leo appeared, when they saw him some of the Twi'leks cheered as he approached the girl "Now, tell me why its complicated?"

The reddish pink twi'lek gaped at Leo, "Uh… come with us, we'll tell you on the way." She said walking off, Leo cocked a brow at her as Arsix appeared next to him from where ever it was hiding. He looked down at the droid "Run away again, and your scrap." Leo said as he followed the twi'leks.

"Alright talk." Leo said to the girl as he caught up with her "Ok, ok, after the droids invaded, our people went to surrender… it was a slaughter." She said to him, Leo could see her face the emotion it was causing. "After that General Cham Syndulla formed a resistance movement." Leos ears perked up "I've heard of General Syndulla, he's a revolutionist, very anti republic." "So are we." She said as Leo felt some of the twi'leks still having there blasters at the ready just in case. "The republic has come to help you." Leo pointed out to her "Then what, after you drive of the droids then a new army will be occupying our world." She said stopping and looking back at him hands on her hips. Leo curled his right hand into a fist. "Maybe if your people hadn't surrendered in the first place, my squadron and about a hundred other republic soldiers who died up over your heads would still be alive." He barked back at her looking the girl dead in the eye.

She cocked a brow at him, "So that was you all making the racket last night?" she asked him, Leo took a deep breath "The separatists set a trap, you lost a crusier and six squadrons of fighters." Leo said looking away. The twi'lek girl put her hands up "So the Republic is coming after all." She said to herself.

Leo nodded, "Yes." She nodded at him, "Ok, the General will want to hear more, if your willing to come with us jedi?" she asked him. Leo nodded "My names not jedi, I'm Commander Leo Rock of the 501st legion." He said introducing himself finally to her. She smirked "Hmm ok." She said as some of the twi'leks laughed "Names Kasel." She said back as they walked off. Leo followed her into the jungles of Ryloth. As they walked off Leo heard one of the twi'leks chuckle and speak to another in there own tongue all while looking at him.

"What are they saying?" he asked the twi'lek girl named Kasel, "There saying all jedi must be crazy." She said back, "Why?" he asked her, she chuckle "Cause only a lunatic would try to fight off a full grown doashim and destroy a tank in the same day."

The Padawan seemed confused "What's a doashim?" he asked Kasel, the twi'lek girl looked back "That thing that tried to eat you, you may be crazy but at least your brave." Leos eyes got wide at the compliment as Arsix nudged him a few bit taking notice of the boys blushing cheeks. He kicked the droid in the side and followed Kasel and the rest of the twi'leks deeper into the planet of Ryloth.

Far across the planet at the Ryloth capital of Lessu, inside the Separatist command center. A green skinned skakoan male with black eyes under goggles with a breathilizer suit with blue and grey. He was standing infront of a red holotables. "Our reports were correct Count Dooku" he said to a red hologram of count Dooku right next to him. They were both looking at a hologram of leos starfighter "The starfighter was indeed a jedis." He said through is breathing machine adjusting the nozzle so he could speak. The red hologram nodded "Good" Dooku said as he looked at the fighter then at the skakoan. "Wat Tambor, you will continue to hold this planet from the Republic while my… associates will deal with the jedi."

"My brother and I will be glad to Milord" Both Wat Tambor and the Count looked into the shadows, two men stood there bot wearing dark black garbs. Similar to Count Dooku's except for the fact they were black, with belts both sporting lightsabers, they each had on dark black botos and gloves to match. Not just that but the two men were identical with dark black hair and goatees with pale complextions the only difference was their tattoos they had a red line running down opposite sides of there faces that went down over the eye. Then split over into two down the check and jaw. "Very well Karoc" Dooku said to the one with the tattoo on the right side of his face "Vinoc" Dooku said to the twin on the left wit his tattoo on the left side of his face. "When you find the jedi… kill him"


	8. Innocence of Ryloth

As the moon rose over the world of Ryloth, and stars lit up the night sky. Leo and the twi'lek rebels moved through the growth. Leo swatted a bug as it landed on his neck, while the reddish pink twi'lek named Kasel pushed by him aside shoulder pushing him a bit. "Watch yourself Jedi." She said as some of the older twi'lek men laughed. Leo glared at her while the walked through the jungle. The twi'leks moved forward and one of them a yellow one wearing dark armor with goggles walked up to Leo and asked him something in their native tongue.

Leo raised his eyebrows "Translation?" he asked, "He wants to know how many clones are coming to Ryloth?" Kasel asked him as they came to a large hill and started to climb through the trees and rocks. "Oh, at least four battalions." He said holding up his hand to show two fingers.

"He doesn't understand you." Kasel said without looking back as she was helped up the hill by another twi'lek. "Then translate." Leo snapped back at her walking up the hill. Kasel said his answer back to the other twi'lek who nodded then saying something else; looking back at him, "He also wants to know why you're so short?" Leo growled at the question about his height, "Tell him I'm a late bloomer pinky." He said as they arrived at the top of the hill where Kasel stopped. Suddenly the rest of the twi'leks stopped too.

"What you call me?" she asked him turning around as he got to the top of the hill. He crossed his arms "Pinky, you got crud in your ears tail head." She asked him. Kasel curled her hand into a fist at that.

"How much farther to General Syndulla's camp?" Leo asked walking past her, but the second he was past her he felt Kasel grab his collar and throw him to the ground. Leo rolled over onto his feet and got up saber drawn and Kasel had her blaster out. "Call me tail head again." She hissed as Leo held his saber toward her.

"Call me short again?" He asked her, Kasel popped her knuckles as Leo and her looked like they were ready to fight right then and there.

Suddenly one of the rebel twi'leks called to them and everyone dropped low, Leo did to as Kasel pushed passed him nudging him with her shoulder to a ledge overlooking a road.

On it they saw a small group of twi'leks surrounded by battle droids.

"Looks like a patrol." Leo said seeing the droids who numbered in about a dozen, "Probably looking for us?" Kasel said as the twi'leks were forced onto there feet hands behind their heads. "Move it." One of the droids said pushing them along "Where are they taking them?" Leo asked as Kasel pulled out her blaster "Don't know, I'll go ask."

She leapt over the side of the ledge sliding down the edge toward the road blaster blazing. The other twi'leks did the same and so did Leo reluctantly with his lightsaber in hand. When the first droid was shot down the others opened fire instantly taking out a few of the twi'lek rebels. Leo sliced down a few before the whole thing was over before it began.

As the rebels secured there kin Leo looked around at the droids, "We need to get moving." Kasel said glancing over her fallen "Wait." Leo said looking at her.

"Ask them where the droids were taking them?" Leo asked her, Kasel socked her red skinned tail head "What?" she asked back.

"Where were they taking them, these are civilians right not warriors or soldiers why would droids take them?" he asked again.

Kasel looked over at the rescued twi'leks and asked in their native tongue Leos question. The first one replied "He says back to their city, the droids have imprisoned everyone they barely escaped themselves." Kasel replied to Leo before the prisoner continued "He also says that their hoarding them all in the cells, next to the cannons." Leo scratched his chin.

"Living shields" he said making the crimson colored twi'lek looked at him confused "What?"

He walked over to the droids and kicked on its head "If the droids are using them as human shields than that means…. Ahsoka and the General got through." Leo said sensing it to be true in the force smiling up at the stars above to see large explosions of destroyed droid frigates.

"What are you talking about Jedi?" Kasel asked as he looked at her "I'm saying look over there." He said pointing off into the distance and up above three republic warships were descending from the clouds. "Oh great another invading arm-" Kasel cut herself off when one of the ships, the far one on the lefts engines exploded. Leos eyes got wide as he said "Anti-aircraft fire." Kasel came up to him and added "It's coming from Nabat City, this guys home."

Leo looked back at her, "If there's enemy fire, then Republic ground forces will try and knock out the cannons." Leo said getting up and heading towards the sound of cannon fire. He stopped turning around looking at the twi'leks "We're done here."

Kasel scowled as he walked off "Now hold up here, where are you going?" she asked.

She ran out in front of him, "I'm going back to my own, with any luck General Kenobi is in charge of the ground assault he'll be sent in the gun ships he'll need my help taking out those anti-aircraft guns." He replied as the escaped prisoner started to babble out more in twi'leki words.

"What?" Kasel said hearing him "What's he saying?" Leo asked "He says he overheard one of the droids, they said they plan to move the villagers around the Cannons, as shields." Leo shook his head hearing this "General Kenobi won't risk their lives, he'll go in with troops."

"And take out half the villagers in the process." Kasel said walking up to Leo, "New plan men, we get in and get our people out let the droids and clones have it out." Kasel said looking at Leo "Shorty's welcome to come along if he can keep up." Kasel said brushing past him. Leo smiled a bit and followed her toward the village.

Leo followed her running up beside Kasel "If your going to Nabat, then we should join with General Kenobi if you know the city we can take it before nightfall." Leo said to her Kasel rolled her eyes.

"Listen jedi, we don't need their help or yours for that matter Ryloth can handle itself." Kasel said back to him sinisterly.

"Clearly because your not under occupation." Leo said behind her "We wouldn't be under occupation if that fat coward Orn Free Taa would have listened to General Syndulla on why we need an army."

"You have an army the Clone Army." Leo told her, Kasel turned around as her men walked by "Not everyone so rich in the core worlds they can afford clones, Ryloth been treated worse long before the Separatists got here."

Leo didn't answer her at first "Look, we want the same thing a free Ryloth at least think on joining with General Kenobi while we head to Nabat."

"Fine." Kasel said in a hiss before turning around.

NABAT

Obi-Wan Kenobi and his orange and white clade clone troops walked into the ruins of an abandoned building. "This will do as a command center." Obi-Wan said as he and Commander Cody started to set up a base. Obi-Wan took out a holo device and activated it "Anakin, are you there?" the hologram came alive showing both Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano, "Right here Master, any sign of Leo?" Anakin asked without a second to waist. "None I'm afraid, I sent scouts to look for him, but we need to focus on the mission at hand."

Back aboard Anakin's warship he was looking down at a hologram of Obi-wan, Ahsoka beside him "Understood, Ahsoka and I will commence our bombing raids within the hour, let us know if you find anything." Anakin said as the signal was cut off. Anakin rubbed his forehead.

"What about Leo shouldn't we be looking for him." Ahsoka said hands on her hips "Why do we get such rotten luck." She said banging her hand on the wall.

"Patience Ahsoka, remember Leo is strong and resilient like you if anything he's probably on his way to Obi-Wan right now."

Back down in Nabat City, Obi-Wan turned to Commander Cody "Are we moving on to the guns?" Cody asked

"We need to know what the droids have in store for us. Send your best men to scout ahead." Obi-Wan ordered his second in command "Will do, sir. Boil, Waxer, come with me." Cody said turning to two of Obi-Wan's men both with yellow painted armor similar to Cody, one of them turned to the other "I guess we're the best."

ELSEWHERE ON RYLOTH

Leo and Kasel ran up to the wall of the city limits. It was built into the side of a canyon and throughout, each houses appeared to be almost carved into the world it lay. Both of them peaked around the corner at the inside of the city to see a droid patrol passing by. "Where are all the people?" Leo asked, "I don't like this." Kasel said as she and him moved into the city. They kept moving across the city as in another side of the city Kenobi's men did the same.

Both the clone soldiers Boil and Waxer were walking around the abandoned city "Buildings are just buildings, what really makes a city are the inhabitants that live in it." Boil said as they looked through the buildings.

"So where are they?" Waxer asked, as Cody and another clone walked next to them.

"We'll check out the courtyard." Cody said "You two, take the south sector. Be back at command by 0620." He ordered the two soldiers who nodded.

The looked at each other before responding "Yes, sir." Waxer said as they split up heading different directions, "I tell you, Boil, this is creepy." Waxer said as they kept walking.

"You think they've killed all of them?" Boil asked his brother clone.

"Well, there are no bodies, they were driven from their homes." He added as they saw no signs of combat or dead "I don't think they had a-" Waxer stopped mid sentence seeing something in the shadows but it was gone as it was seen "Had a what?"

"Choice." Waxer said when he saw something in the corner of his helmet move, he gestured Boil to follow and the two clones went in one after the other into a narrow alleyway when they got close to what moved they came out to see a little blue skinned twi'lek girl looking up at them.

Boil dropped his guard "Ugh its just a kid." He said when he saw her, she backed up at the sight of the two white armored beings, metal like droids showing the fear in her eyes.

"She looks half starved." Waxer said reaching back into his belt to pull out a ration stick, when he offered it to her she backed up "She probably thinks were droids?"

"Come here you." Boil snapped reaching for her but she retreated further into the alleyway "Stop it." Waxer snapped kneeling down laying down his weapon to take of his helmet "See not a droid, I'm flesh and blood just like you." Waxer said to the twi'lek girl, Boil took his helmet off to showing his face when she saw them her eyes got wide "Nerra, Nerra." She said pointing to them.

"No, thats Boil and I'm waxer." He said to her introducing them, just then she replied with "Nerra, Nerra."

Boil put his helmet on rolling his eyes "Congratulations you made a friend." Boil said seeing her scarf down the rations.

"I wonder what happened to her family?" Waxer said putting his helmet back on too and standing up.

"They're probably dead, hopefully, she'll survive this mess." Boil said starting to leave the alleyway "So what happens to her? I mean, after we leave." Boil asked not moving from the spot.

When he saw Waxer wasn't going to drop it, Boilgroaned "I don't know. Don't get any ideas. We're not taking her with us." Boil said looking at him harshly, Waxer looked back to the girl but saw she wasn't anywhere to be found.

"She's gone. I'm sure the little biter will turn up." Boil said before they walked out to see a separatist probe droid "Cover." Waxer barked, the two of them dove into the shadows of the alleyway till the probe droid when it passed out of sight the two clones breathed a sigh of relief when suddenly the twi'lek girl popped up in front of them out of nowhere.

"There you are. How'd she get in front of us?" Waxer asked, suddenly she said something in twi'lek ushering them to follow the same way the droid went.

"No, don't go that way! That's where the recon droid went." Waxer started to chase after her but Boil grabbed him before he could run after her "Waxer, let her go."

"I'm not just going to let the droids get her." Waxer barked pushing him off and running after her, Boil did to calling after him. "I'm just trying to keep you alive! I'll be darned if I know why."

They chased the girl into the ruins of the abandoned city darting down alleyways and empty streets with her ahead of them leading them deeper and deeper into the city.

"Where's she going?" Boil asked "Wait! Hold on, there!" Waxer called after her before they spotted her slip into an abandoned building "There you are." Waxer said as Boil came in winded "Good, you caught her. You know, I have binders if we need 'em." Boil pannted when they noticed the girl was on the brink of tears whimpering where she stood. The building they were in looked like a simple dwelling where a small family once lived, the room they were in and been ransacked of everything of value.

"What?" Waxer asked before Boil asked him another question "What are we doing here, anyway?" He asked looking around.

"I guess this was her home poor little thing, she lost it all. It's okay now." Waxer said walking around the living room when he noticed a doll on the floor, picking it up he handed it to the girl who grabbed the doll squeezing ti tight before she started to ball her eyes out into Waxers arms.

"We're here to help don't cry, kid." Boil said "We'll keep you safe. I promise." Far from the two clones who were considered Cody's best.

Cody and the other clone where overlooking a courtyard filled with droids and the anti air cannons "Not going to be easy getting to those guns, sir." Wooley said as he spied the guns and something else "There is always a way, Wooley- Wait, Twi'leks. They're holding all the survivors hostage. We have to report this to General Kenobi." Cody said as he saw the Twi'lek civilians being brought in droves surrounding cannons. They were huddled together men, women and children all together against there will praying for some sort of salvation.

Back with Leo and the red skinned Kasel, the two were leading the resistance fighters through a narrow alley of a canyon "What is this?" Leo asked her "Old shortcut my friends and I used to sneak out of the city, good for ditching the townguard." She said as they entered into the city.

One of the twi'lek fighters commented on the town being deserted "Yeah, it's a ghost town." Leo said as he knelt down looking at a droid footprint "Where is the courtyard?" Leo asked Kasel.

Leo looked at the droid footsteps, and saw them leading off in a direction to the courtyard "Center of the city." Kasel said looking at the footsteps too "Alright, your city you lead the way." Leo said to the twi'lek who nodded "Just try to keep up." She said playfully as the resistance fighters and jedi headed into the city they looked around the ruins of no sign of a fight or struggle in recent days.

"What happened here?" Leo asked Kasel "When the droids first arrived those who didn't run into the wilds to form a resistance, those who went to surrender were slaughtered the ones who stayed in there homes had to wait till the droids came." Kasel said walking up to a fallen statue of an ancient twi'lek of renown putther her hand on the stones broken face.

"I'm sorry, I don't really know what that's like, you're very brave for making a stand" Leo said behind her. Kasel hid a blush on her cheeks avoiding his gaze "Thanks Jedi."

Meanwhile, Cody and Wooley had contacted Obi-Wan via holotransmission, and now Obi-Wan was relaying what they told him to the Jedi high command "They're in the courtyard here and here. But there's a complication. They've taken the locals hostage and they're using them as shields." Obi-Wan said to Mace Windu, Anakin Skywalker, and Plo Koon.

"The Twi'lek prisoners will make this difficult but not impossible. I still have a good plan for taking out those guns." Obi-Wan said showing a recording of the prisoners.

"Getting the villagers out of harm's way is our first priority." Windu said "I have faith in you, General Kenobi." He added before cutting the transmission.

Obi-Wan looked toward his left where Cody and Wooley were standing helmets still on "Cody, we'll go in with everything we have. Clear those hostages." He ordered as a confederate spy probe was watching the Republic forces and transmitting their plan back to the droid commander. In the middle of the courtyard a Tactical droid was receiving the holographic feed and saw Kenobi "So it's General Kenobi who is leading this assault. He is known for his deceptive maneuvers." The droid said "Roger, roger. Download his file." It said to another droid at a command center terminal.

Away from the clones and droids approaching from the opposite direction, Leo walked behind Kasel looking around corners and behind stuff at the shadows "Easy Jedi, we got out scanners on any droids come our way we'll know." Kasel said as Leo shook his head "No… I sense something else."

"Oh yeah, I forgot Jedi use crazy magic." Kasel commented back to him "Something like that." Leo said as he followed behind her.

"So tell me?" he asked "Hows a girl your age become the leader of a resistance cell?" he asked the pink twi'lek.

"My father was part of General Syndulla's army, he died when the droids fist came… so I got some experience, what about you, pretty young for a jedi?" she asked.

Leo shook his head "We're trained since we're infants." Leo said.

"Still, I'd rather not be back in school then fighting a war." Kasel told him, Leo noticed the longing in her eyes wanting him to say something back "This is where I belong, a Jedi needs to be ready to fight wars so they can end." Leo said trying to sound wise.

Kasel shoved him playfully, the twi'lek finished with a wink and a smile, "You'll be out of a job if you do come see me in Nabat after we win hahaha?"

Leo snickered before he froze where he stood a chill running up his spine, he looked up to see a Separatist Shuttle flying overhead in the distance "Separatist ship four o'clock."

Kasel barked at her men to get to cover before the ship flew overhead, Leo grabbed onto Kasel under the shade of a statue squeezing her tight "What is it?"

"Something dark, something after…. me?" Leo gasped.

Across the city, inside the droids command center with the cannons the Commander Droid was walking into the cells of the fort to see the droid prodding and poking at monstrous creatures locked in cages. "Sergeant, are the creatures ready?" The creatures were gutkurr's. They were reddish brown with large shell like bodies and red eyes over large mouth with razor sharp teeth, they each had two thin arms and large hind legs with thick sharp claws and a row of spikes over its carapace back. The beasts were ravenous biting and snapping at one another desperate for food.

"I starved them, like you ordered, sir." The droid in charge of the kennels said, outside the kennel room the droids saw the drop ship land the Droid commander exited the chamber to see the ramp lowered. Walking down the ramp were two cloaked figures, the men from Wat Tambors conversation with Count Dooku, Karoc and Vinoc approached the commander "Milords, welcome this is unexpected, why are you here?" The Commander said bowing to each acolyte.

Vinoc spoke first "Hunting commander, we will not impede your actions here Commander have you seen this boy?" Vinoc asked reaching into his robe and taking out a holodisk turning it on to reveal Leo, their prey.

Elsewhere behind the Republic lines, Obi-Wan was making the final preparations before their assault. He walked up to his second in command Cody "The men set, Cody?" He asked, but he noticed Cody was trying to reach someone through the communications system but wasn't having any luck.

"What is it?" Obi-Wan asked his friend "Waxer and Boil are not responding, they never returned from scouting." Cody told him concern dripping on the end of every word.

"That isn't like them, they may have run into trouble." Obi-Wan said looking to a clone sergeant working the radios "Sergeant, use the high-powered transmitter, see if you can reach Waxer and Boil." He ordered the clone,

Giving the general a thumbs up and increasing the power "Yes, sir!"

"Let's get the rest of the men moving, the others will catch up." Obi-Wan said to Cody as the men were all ready for the final assault, up above the probe droid sent by the separatist commander was transmitting the images to the droids, Vinoc and Karoc were looking over the droids shoulder at the hologram.

"They are on the move, Milords will you be assisting us?" The droid asked each acolyte "General Kenobi would be a far better prize brother?" Karoc said to Vinoc who scratched his chin "True, but we have our orders dear brother and I sense our charge is near." Vinoc told him he looked at the commander.

"We have our own mission, carry on with your plans, come brother." Vinoc said to the droid before he and his brother started to leave the square.

"Sergeant, the attack is coming, release the beasts it is time to execute my plan." The commander ordered the beastmaster droids.

"Roger, roger." The sergeant copied opening the gutkrrs cages allowing them beasts to run out of their cells into the city where Leo and the clones were. Waxer and Boil were still with the little girl when there comlink began to blink

"It's the commander, we're way overdue, Waxer." Boil said, the three of them hadn't left the little girls house since she brought them to it. "We're going to end up polishing R2 units." Boil groaned about to answer the commanders summons.

But before he could touch the greens blinking light, Waxer grabbed his brought her by the arm "Wait. How are we going to explain all this, her?"

The two men looked down at the little girl unsure if she understood them and the situation they'd gotten into by playing babysitter to her. "You're asking me?" Boil chided him.

"Maybe if we hurry back, we can tell them we ran into a little trouble."

"Oh, that's for sure." Boil mumbled putting on his helmet and grabbing his weapon, Waxer did the same "And our transmissions were jammed by the droids?" Waxer said trying to come up with an excuse that wouldn't get them punished for their tardiness.

"It's worth a try. But mark my words, this will end badly." Boil said walking out the door, Waxer followed him and so did the little girl who stayed close to Waxer's armored leg for safety.

But when the three of them left her ruined her one they stopped dead in their tracks, the girl grabbed Waxer by the hand when they heard something was coming, something big and hungry "Gutkrr, Gutkrr." The girl snapped over and over when around the corner came two of the insects growling baying for blood when they spotted the three organic one of them roared.

"I think I know why the kid never came back here." Boil said before they opened fire, the gutkrrs thick armored hide barely taking any damage.

"You see what happens when we don't follow orders?" Boil snapped when the beasts charged.

"Let's get out of here!" Waxer said as the girl ran back into her home, the two clones slammed the doors shut barring them with all their strength while outside the gutkrrs smashed and clawed at the door like hungry cats trying to get to mice.

Boil grunted under is helmet trying to keep the door shut while he said "These suckers won't give up!"

"You grab the gun and I'll hold 'em back." Waxer told him, Boil ran back one of there weapons as the beasts started to break through when the door was slightly cracked open Boil opened fire on the lead Gutkrr that was a head in the doorway, the spray of blaster fire only enraged it when the two clones barred the doors again. It rammed itself twice into the door while the other stated to look for another way in bythe ceiling of the collapsed roof.

Elsewhere in the city, Leo and Kasel's men heard the blaster fire "Someone's in trouble?" Leo said sensing the distress in the force.

"Or someone's starting a fight." Kasel said cocking her blaster pistol and heading toward the noise. Just a few streets over Obi-Wan and Cody's men were on the march heading down one of the wider streets when around the corner came the entire Gutkrr horde attacked. The clones scouting ahead hightailed it back across the street as others opened fire.

"They just keep coming- Aim for their eyes!" One of the clones shouted before he was overwhelmed by the monsters and devoured.

"Look out, look out! Fall back!" Cody yelled to his men, back in the dories command center the Commander of the Droids had taken control of a tank and was reporting back into the Emir Wat Tambo. "The Republic ground troops have been routed, Emir." The droid told a small holographic disk of the Emir.

Suddenly an explosion followed by a pillar of smoke started to rise from where the battle was taking place, "What was that?" Tambo asked seeing the smoke.

"I calculate the remaining clones are attempting a desperate final offensive. Their chances of success against us are 742:1." The commander reported

"You had better be right." Tambo said behind his breathing apparatus.

"I am a droid, I am always right." The droid said callously.

The machine almost was, as the droids had predicted the clone army was being overwhelmed by the beasts, Obi-Wan saw the clones weapons weren't powerful enough to stop the beasts but the Jedi Master knew what was. Obi-Wan raised each of his hands to call on the power of the force to reach the gutkrrs starving rage. At once they all stopped there attack on the clones. When the clones saw the jedi working his great power they all stood stunned and in awe. One of the clones had a clear shot and was about to shoot the closet gutkrrs.

"No, wait." Cody said grabbing the man's blaster, Obi-Wan slowly started to draw the creatures into a dead end alleyway under a large stone bridge. "Incredible." The clone who would have shot and ruined it all said

"Quiet, rookie." Cody said back to him "Shoot the bridge!" Obi-Wan ordered horsley trying not to lose his concentration. The clones fired at the stone bridge making it crumble into ruin blocking Obi-Wan and the Gutkrrs exit but they didn't have the force. The collapsing bridge snapped the beasts out of there force trance and made them attack Obi-wan, he jumped up onto one of their backs and hop from one beasts back to the next before he leapt over the rubble and back with his men. The clones all started to breath easy but maybe to easily when they saw the metal disk of a sewage drain start to. At the same moment all clones got ready to blast whatever was about to come out when Obi-Wan sensed what it really was.

"Don't shoot." Obi-Wan said when the door opened both to reveal the two missing clone troopers Waxer and Boil who saluted the second they got out of the tunnel embarrassment running across each of their faces though hidden by helmets.

"Waxer, Boil. Where have you two slackers been?" Cody snapped seeing them.

Just as they looked at one another to see who would speak first, the little girl climbed out of the tunnel behind them huddling behind Waxer. "Sir, there is an explanation, we got sidetracked." Waxer protested.

Obi-Wan saw her first before the other clones and knelt down "I think I see what sidetracked you."

"Hello, little one." Obi-Wan said smiling warmly at her "She brought us here through the tunnels." Boil said and added "Knows her way around them pretty good, sir." Obi-Wan scratched his beard thoroughly and started to say something in twi'lek to her, hearing her native tongue and seeing where he was pointing the girl gleefully replied to the general, hope twinkling in both her eyes.

"The girl can lead us through the tunnel to the prisoners. Cody, we're going to need a diversion." Obi-Wan said standing up

Elsewhere, Leo and Kasels men were scouting through the city looking for signs of combat "Where is everyone?" Kasel asked Leo who had his hand on his lightsaber looking in the alleyways "I thought you said someone was fighting?" She asked him.

Leo knelt down in front of a Gutkrr print "You said that I said-... you need to run." Leo said getting up sensing something was coming to them in the force.

"Huh, is this a jedi thing?" Kasel asked him "Yes and you need to run right now." Leo said turning on his lightsaber looking down the empty street "Why theres nothing… there….?" Kasel said her pink skin going pale when she saw merging from opposite sides of the street were two men in cloaks, Karoc and Vinoc they dropped there robes at the same time and reached for their belts taking out their lightsabers, Vinoc held his in his left and Karoc in his right both lasers blood red color of sith.

All the twi'lek rebels raised there blasters "Run blasters are useless here, this is my fight." Leo said holding up his white lightsaber, "This is our planet, blast them!" Kasel ordered her men.

The twi'leks opened fire on the Sith who smiled "Time for some fun brother." The split running and deflecting the lasers with their lightsabers showing each of them had skill in deflecting and redirecting enemy fire. Kasel's men started to back up as the sith twins drew closer and closer to them, some of the deflected blaster shots were richioted back into Kasels men killing three of them "I said-." Leo drew back his hands and unleashed a gargantuan force push, it hit the Sith like a cannon ball sending them back "RUN!"

Kasel gasped seeing Leos power unleashed while Vinoc and his brother landed on there feet looking at one another "A fine hunt brother." Vinoc chuckled.

"Indeed brother." Karoc said rising as Kasel grabbed her wounded "Don't die on us shorty." She said retreating. Leo watched them escape behind him into the city alleys. The two sith acolytes approached him Vinoc had a high guard and Karoc wore his low as they took both sides of him. Leo held his lightsaber in a reverse grip and raised it up close to his face "Come on."

Both men pounced like wolves against a helpless animal, but Leo was far from helpless he blocked Karoc's blade parrying him away before he countered Vinoc's quickly. Karoc headed at him again swinging at him with both hands on his hilt from left and right at the top before he spun around to strike hard at Leo forcing him back. Vinoc tried to impale Leo on his lightsaber while he was locked enguarde with his brother, Leo broke the blade lock and rather then back away he flipped over both men and used the force to grab a dozen stones that had fallen on the ground with the force and chucked them at each sith. Vinoc and Karoc dodged all of them before they attacked again this time at the same time forcing Leo to move twice at face, when Vinoc struck low, Karoc hit high each of them pressing a more ferocious advantage of two on one. Leo struggled to keep his footing when he saw a chance to make a move. Catching each Sith's red laser sword on his white one, the two men were both older and stronger than the boy, their tattooed faces and snarling faces make Leo bare his teeth and growl back at them.

"Not much of a lion are you boy." Vinoc said "I think he may cry brother?" Karoc chuckled when Vinoc made a move he broke the padawan's defense and kicked him in the gut. Karoc took his chance to and smashed his fist into Leo's jaw making him spit blood as he hit the floor.

Leo rolled away from them back on to his face them, a purple welt started to grow on his cheek blood dribbling down his inner lip staining his teeth. Vinoc and Karoc both laughed seeing him get up "Some spirit in you after all, though Tol Skorr may have exaggerated your prouse."

Rising slowly Leo held a high guard over his head "Do all Sith talk this much?" He asked.

The two brothers smiles dropped "Cheeky." Karoc hissed.

"Count Dooku has ordered your death Jedi spawn, surrender now and we'll make it quick or make it more interesting like you did in that lurmen village, if the stories are true… little Berserker?" Vinoc said when they started to encircle him again. Leo would have to watch his front and back while they circled him.

Far away in the square the droids were securing their positions around their cannons, the droid sergeant was in the empties Gutkrr cells cleaning it with a brush "Yup, this is about the worst job in the droid army, what?" The droid turned around and suddenly saw Obi-Wan with the girl in his arm and lightsaber in hand.

"What?" The droid said when Obi-Wan shut the door with her giggling as the droid was locked inside, behind Obi-Wan Boil and Waxer came up to take her from him. Outside the square Cody and his men were sneaking up across the ruins where the square narrowed when a droid spotted them, "There they are open fire!" The droid who captain who saw them said, he opened fire and the droid Commander in his tank started to fire at the choke point.

"I'll take care of this, you keep her here." Obi-Wan said sneaking out as the clones engaged the droids, with the droids full attention on the clones the Jedi master sprinted to the twi'lek prisoners and when they saw them all shrunk back. But Obi-Wan was able to speak to them like he did the girl in their own language sneaking them into the cages with the secret entrance they used to invade.

"Let's go!" Cody said to his men seeing the droids were hitting them hard, with cannon fire and blasters.

"Pull back! Pull back!" Cody ordered his men when he saw the droid commanders tank, but one of the droids looked back to see Obi-Wan freeing the prisoners "Commander, we have a problem, the Jedi is freeing the prisoners."

As they ran into the cells the little girls scanned the faces of each prisoner looking for someone in particular "Numa!" A blue skinned man in a brown tunic and tan pants gasped smiling when he saw her. He swept the child up in his arms holding her ight "Guess that's her father." Waxer said behind them. When Obi-Wan had the last prisoner get inside to safety.

In the street where Leo and the Sith Twins were battling the sounds of battle and cannon fire reached their ears, "I sense your clones are faltering, shame you aren't there to help them?" Karoc said, Leo looked over at the pillars of smoke rising from the square but when he took his eyes off Karoc, the man sprung like a wolf ready to clamp down his jaws around the young cub. Leo raised his lightsaber to glance the blade off but it left is flank vulnerable, a vulnerability Vinoc exploited slicing Leo across the back tearing his robe and searing his flesh.

"Aah-rrrRAAAHH!" Leo slashed his lightsaber back at VInoc wildly swinging to try and get the man who wounded him.

The smell of his own seared flesh filled both nostrils, snarling he squeezed his lightsaber tightly while the men snickered and giggled at his pain. "Shall we finish him brother?" Karoc asked him "No, lets play with our food?" Vinoc and Karoc went on the attack again this time Leo had to deal with his new wound slowing him down, he missed every third slash earning him burning searing lightsaber cuts on his arms, legs and chest. He was cut across the forearm, then his left thigh, his right shoulder took a nasty cut then his forehead got grazed pain running up and down his body spiking every time he suffered another cut.

Back at the battle, the clones had safely stashed the prisoners in the sheltered base "Waxer, Boil, come with me." Obi-Wan ordered each of them "We're with you, sir." Boil said the clones raced out behind Obi-Wan. They hurried up to one of the canons Obi-Wan took out the droid gunner it as the two clones loaded up a shell "Ready, General." The other droids in the driver seat wasn't sure what to do.

"Setting Alpha five or six! Where's the override?" It squealed when Obi-Wan shot the cannons next to it. They were about to take out the last one when Obi-Wan saw the droid tank's barrel aimed at them "Look out!" Obi-Wan yelled jumping to warn the clones. The blast sent all three of them into the dirt and from the prisoners crowded inside the cave Numa rushed forward to Obi-Wan helping him up even as the droid tank closed in on them. The droid commander came out of the haul laughing in a mechanical cackle "You lose, General Kenobi- haha haha."

Obi-Wan saw the gun was right on them and no room to dodge, wrapping the girl in his arms he prepared for the worst when the twi'lek prisoner said came roaring out of safety toward the tank shouting and hollering at the commander.

"Does not compute. Does not compute. Does not compute. Does not compute" the droid commander said a s the twi'leks swarmed over the tank and tore the droid to pieces. Obi-Wan tried to shield Numa's eyes but she peaked anyway just as Republic Cruiser started to fly overhead signaling a Republic Victory.

Even Vinoc and Karoc saw the republic cruisers blotting out the sun above them, when Leo saw the ship it was his turn to laugh, chuckling "You lose Sith scum." Leo said.

The brothers glared at him in unison there dark eyes ready to rip him to pieces even as his freshest cuts seared close seeped from his pumped full of adrenaline to keep him up but there was something more.

"Enjoy this victory Jedi, it'll be your last you can barely stand." Vinoc said, Leo scoffed at him but his scoff forced him to cough up a bit of blood.

"Shall I kill him brother?" Karoc asked Vinoc, Vinoc gave a slight bow to his brother "Please do he's starting to bore me."

Karoc held up his lightsaber and ran right at Leo grinning as Leo tightened his fist around his lightsaber, Leo waited for him and when Karoc swung down to end his life Leo raised his lightsaber but turned off his sword at the last second and let go tossing it in the air. Karoc fell forward when Leo side stepped twisting around him to catch the lightsaber and ignited the place impaling Karoc through the back of the head the white laser coming out the man's goatee covered mouth.

"BROTHER!" Vinoc screamed locking eyes with Leo's green ones ready to avenge him, but when he saw the boys eyes he froze. For when he saw them something inside Vinoc realized there wasn't a jedi behind those eyes, something far more monstrous was trying to rip out of the boy and into Vinoc.

Leo raised his back leg and kicked Karoc off his sword and slowly raised it toward Vinoc "... come on…." Leo said walking toward him slowly.

"Come on…?" Leo asked again, Vinoc didn't in fact he started to back up "Come on, come at me, fight me- Fight Me!" Leo screamed at the Sith Acolyte his green eyes flickering yellow the veins started to bleed. Vinoc looked at his brothers corpse then at Leo standing there waiting for more, the Sith Acolyte turned tail like a whipped dog and fled. Panting, Leo didn't give chase "I KILLED HIM, I KILLED YOUR BROTHER AND I'LL KILL YOU AND EVERY SITH I FIND DO YOU HEAR ME I'LL KILL YOU, AAAAAAALLLLL OOOF YOUUUUU!" Leo watched Vinoc flee in outer city away from the Republic and away from him, when he was out of sight. Leo dropped his lightsaber and fell backward into the dirt looking at the Republic warships sailing the skies above ready to embrace oblivion as his eyes rolled back closing.

LATER

After the battle, the cruisers were unloading walkers with clone escorts. Both Obi-Wan and his clone commander Cody were walking with Mace Windu who was observing the victory "Great job getting rid of those cannons now we have a more difficult objective We must take the capital and free this world." Windu said and across rom them Numa was saying goodbye to Waxer.

"See ya later, little one." He said rubbing her head, even Boil had grown close to her from a distance he called out "Hey, numa. Stay out of trouble." Numa rushed up to him throwing her arms around the clone in glee filled sorrow that this was goodbye.

"Don't be afraid. We'll be back." Boil said hugging her back before he followed his brothers and General, behind them Numa was calling out waving her arms.

"Nerra, Nerra." Over and over. "Sir, what is that she keeps calling us?" Waxer asked Obi-Wan as he obviously knew the language.

Obi-Wan smiled the clones waved back "Nerra. It means "brother." Obi-Wan told them before they marched on to another victory.

The soft kiss of wind brushed over Leo's sweaty hair, slowly his eyes were able to see the shape of clouds overhead and birds chirping in his ears. Tree branches were passing overhead like he was floating, then the pain set in everything hurt and ache all over when he moaned trying to rise a strong but soft hand pushed him down, he looked to see Kasel was the one holding him down her hands caked in red human blood.

"Whoa Shorty, whoa." She said her eyes at first were filled with dread but lightened when she saw he heard her, "You took a lot of damage." She told him, he was on a stretcher being carried by two of her men.

Leo looked back up at the sky "The city?" He asked weakly.

"You're clones took it, saved the prisoners too didn't need us so we're going couldn't leave you there without medical attention."

He grunted feeling a jolt of pain from the slightest touch, Kasel hid her giggle "Sorry you'll be better when we get to the Resistance."

Leo's eyes which had returned to green got wide "Resistance?"

"General Syndulla will want to meet you Leo." Kasel told him, a smile broke around Leo's swollen jaw and he snickered before that hurt him to "Ow…"

"What's so funny?" She asked him, he reached up and took her hand squeezing it "First time you called me by my name Kasel…" he said before he let go passing out again.


	9. Blood of Ryloth

**So I you may wonder why there wasn't much deviation from the original episode Innocents on Ryloth, that's because I really enjoyed this arc. This episode will be much more different. **

**WARNING: MATURE CONTENT WITHIN THIS CHAPTER(then again we had Leo stab a guy in the back of the head last chapter so you know what I'm about)**

RYLOTH

Leo crawled up the side of a rocky hill, the parts of scattered droids were everywhere. He wore a leather headband around his red hair and his green tunic was stained with dirt and sporting torn parts stitched back up, a leather bandolier was over his right shoulder and under his left with three pouches on it, his left hand was wrapped up to his forearm while the other still had the glove. He climbed up to some wreckage of a separatist tank and peeked over to see a patrol of battle droids, six B1s and two Super Battle Droids marching across the rocky terrain. He looked up on the other hills too and saw Kasel along with some of her cell hiding behind rocks. The red skinned twi'lek had on a backpack with a whtie shirt and was wearing trousers like a boy.

Taking out his lightsaber he turned it on and ran out from behind the tank getting the droids attention "Look its a jedi, blast him!" One of the droids exclaimed.

Leo dodged the droids incoming fire and deflected some, when he did Kasel and her men came out from behind cover lobbying grenades and shooting the droids in the back. The explosives took out half the droids before Leo cut down the remaining ones with his lightsaber, taking out the entire patrol in less than a minute.

"Alright that was the last patrol." Kasel said sliding down the hill walking up to Leo she punched him in the arm and he grunted, "Oh sorry still not healed up?"

"I'm fine that's twenty five for me." Leo said rubbing his arm smiling at her.

"What?" She asked him "Nothing just something my Master and a friend of mine do."

"Good Leo, lets go report back to the General." Kasel said holding up her fingers to her mouth and whistling, around the hill came a pack of bipedal creatures with large pig like bodies with no necks but sharp teeth and meaty tails, Leo and Kasel mounted them with the others and got underway.

Later, the cell rode up to the remains of Separatist troop transport downed in the middle of an old battlefield dismounting, a group of twi'lek rebels wearing civilian clothing mixed with goggles, scarfs holding rudimentary blasters came to take their mounts. The twi'leks at the entrance when they walked in greeted Kasel while giving wary looks at Leo as they descended deeper into the cavern, the underground had been carved out into tunnels with twi'lek resistance fighters along with civilians huddled in large rooms together.

When they returned a few of them noticed them, "Kasel, Kasel!" One of the twi'lek children came running up to them, she was wearing a messy brown dress with a teal lekku cap on her head, she had green skin with bright green eyes and pale white rings on her lekku. "Hera." Kasel said scooping her up in her arms.

"Did you see the Republic ships they flew overhead last night?" The little girl asked them, Leo snickered "Flying is for droids."

"Nah uh when I grow up I'm going to be a pilot." Hera said happily, shaking her head.

Kasel smiled at her before she put her down "One of the best in the galaxy I bet, is your father around?"

"Hmhmm, he's with the other men in the No-Kids-Allowed-Room." Hera said hands behind her back before she raised her left arm and pointed to behind herself to a guarded doorway. Kasel bent over and kissed Hera on the forehead "Thanks little sister."

Leo followed Kasel across the chamber up to the doorway where both guards held up their hands to stop her "Relax guys we're just here to report to the General about the patrols."

The twi'lek guard to her left answered her in twi'lek and Kasel made a sarcastic laugh "Ha-ha-ah no I'm reporting it to him."

The guard let her in but the other grabbed Leo by the shoulder "He's with me." Kasel told them before they let him through. The two of them were later allowed to walk in together heading deeper into the base, they came to an underground war room with a holo table in the back surrounded by twi'lek men all wearing blasters and makeshift armor, but one stood out amongst all of them he wore brown boots with a blue coat with puffy sleeves and had pale orange skin with a long lekku coming down his head "Reporting in General." Kasel said standing hands behind her back with Leo.

The man turned to reveal himself as General Cham Syndulla, in addition to a blaster tucked in his waist coat he wore a riveted breastplate over his chest "Ah young Kasel and her Jedi Comrade, you've dealt with the patrols I assume?" He asked to show a set of fangs that many men of Ryloth wore as tradition.

"We have General, their numbers are down probably to busy fighting the clones." She suggested, Cham scratched his chin with clawed fingers "You're right, you should be pleased Jedi the Republic has been fierce just this morning your fellow Jedi General Kenobi broke the droid lines in the southern hemisphere and General Windu is pushing toward the Capital with tanks." Cham said standing aside to show the holotable which showed the recording of a battle at a canyon gorge, Leo looked to see a line of tanks had been halted by droid cannon fire on an opposite ridge, one of the tanks was pushed over by a small holographic man who jumped onto a walker with a squadron of shock troopers on them which rushed the droid tanks taking them out before Cham turned off the recording.

Leo looked up to General Syndulla and over at Kasel waiting to see if he should speak "Master Windu is a powerful Jedi, I'd expect nothing less sir."

"Powerful yes, but fools hardy he lost a great many men in the last battle, we suspect he will try to contact us to take Nabat our Capital." Syndulla said arms crossed.

Leo could feel the eyes of everyone on him seeing that the General was testing him "... with respect General, I'm surprised you haven't allied your men with them sooner we share the same goals."

"And what would those goals be young man, come speak up?" General Syndulla asked him.

"To defeat the separatists, to free Ryloth from the occupation." Leo replied tartly.

Syndulla cocked a brow "Awe that word occupation, when the droids are gone then the clones will stay yes, I allowed Kasel to bring you into our base as you were injured and our traditions bound us to share what we have with others who need it but now you must share what are the Republic plans for when this battle here is over?" General Syndulla asked.

Leo didn't say anything at first "... I'm not sure, as you took all my communication gear I have no way of knowing what our strategy is at this point."

Syndulla knew he was right and questioned him no more "Go now, clean out the Blurrg stables while you're at it." Leo gave a respectful bow before he and Kasel departed the war room leaving Cham to plan his resistances next move.

ELSEWHERE ON RYLOTH

Far away from the resistance stronghold, Wat Tambor and his Super Tactical Battle Droid we're looking at a hologram of Mace Windu and one of the clones from his shock trooper squadron. "The Republic is advancing faster than I expected." The droid said looking at the hologram before turning it off. They were in a war room at the top of the cities spire.

"I calculate they will reach the main gates by morning, I recommend we prepare our retreat." The super tactical battle droid, Wat Tambor turned to the battle droid fury behind his goggled eyes.

"I will not retreat." The man said adjusting his breathing apparatus, the skakoan was wearing a long purple gown and metal breathing harness around his shoulders that kept him alive.

"That Jedi does not have the troops to take this city." he added after he adjusted his breathing apparatus to better suit his speech.

"Bring our units inside the walls and secure the bridge." he ordered before Tambor turned around looking into the shadows of the war room. Vinoc was standing in silence "And you can't you go out there and do something, Count Dooku sent you to-" Tambor was cut off not by his suits inability to give him air but by the tip of Vinoc's lightsaber being stuck right in the Separatist's face.

"I was sent here not for you Tambor, but for that miserable Jedi who killed my brother." Vinoc spat onto the floor after he spoke "Rest easy my lord and watch from the safety we provide in fact let us ask the Count himself, droid contact our master." Karoc ordered the droid that quickly obeyed in a few short moments the leader of the Separatist Alliance appeared towering above them looking most displeased.

He glared at all three of them before speaking in a harsh disapproving tone. "Your tactical droid has informed me of the pitiful job you have done protecting our investment on Ryloth." Dooku said hands on his hips beneath his cloak.

"That droid exaggerates, I have not lost yet." Emir Tambor barked in stubborn pride.

But the Count dismissed it like a child throwing a tantrum "You're no match for Master Windu, do not become greedy, Emir Tambor; take what valuables you can and destroy everything else." the Count ordered him.

The commander eyed the count taken back by the order "Everything?"

"We can put this defeat to political use, the charred ruins of Ryloth will demonstrate to the galaxy the cost of a Republic victory." Count Dooku said smiling as his plan would soon be put into motion.

"As you wish." Tambor said bowing "Now leave me and my Acolyte alone, I will speak with him."

The droid and Tambor left the room glaring at Vinoc as he walked out when they were alone Vinoc spoke "The boy he…. he killed my brother." Vinoc growled.

"Indeed you two were foolish to underestimate him, for now focus your efforts on keeping Emir Tambor safe." Dooku said without remorse for the brothers' loss.

Vinoc dropped to one knee "My lord please, send me after the jedi again let me avenge my brother, the dark side flows through me my rage and hate will give me my vengeance."

"No." Dooku ordered sternly "You are a pawn in a much larger game Vinoc, when I rescued you and your brother from that prison cell It was not to serve your petty ambitions but to fight for the Separatist Alliance, is that understood Acolyte?" Dooku asked him, Vinoc looked up his pale face filled with anger at the denial of his request but they dropped avoiding Dooku's gaze "Yes, my master."

Far from the city of Lessu, Obi-Wan Kenobi was standing on the battlements of a tall hill, Republic clones had secured the position after days of hard fighting, clone troopers pushed carts of broken droids away from the trenches. Obi-Wan watched clone troopers advancing over destroyed separatist tanks and destroyed battlements before he turned around walking away from the clones and into a repurposed command post. Commander Cody and his men were working to reconnect the systems to Republic radio waves.

"How long till we have communications up and running?" Obi-Wan asked him.

"Not long General." Cody told him looking over the advancing clones.

Coming up behind them were a group of clones with a metal coffin with them, "What's that?" Cody asked.

The Jedi Master turned and saw it his eyes narrowing seeing it "A theory."

Both men walked up to it before the clones opened it to reveal the pale decaying corpse of the Sith Acolyte Karoc. "Who's this ugly fella?" Cody asked.

"I'm not sure…" Obi-Wan said reaching into the coffin and taking out the lightsaber "But I intend to find out."

Before Obi-Wan could start to make his investigation a communications clone ran up to him "General we have contact with General Windu and the Chancellor."

Obi-Wan set the lightsaber back down in the "Cody, run this man's prints and DNA through all Republic databases while I reported on our situation to the Chancellor."

"Sir yes sir." Cody said as Obi-Wan walked toward a holotable at the center of the forts trenches. When he turned it on the images of the Supreme Chancellor sitting in his office throne. Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu and Master Yoda and a large twi'lek man with four lekku tails instead of two wearing elegant robes of a senator, he could be none other then Orn Free Taa the senator of Ryloth and voice of its people.

"What's your progress, Skywalker?" Mace Windu asked Anakin from the inside of his tank, "My fighters have secured control of the space around Ryloth.

We have the Separatist cruisers on the run." Anakin told him confidently

"Very good, General Skywalker, Master Kenobi has taken the Jixuan desert, so the southern hemisphere is ours." Mace Windu said to the two officials, Orn Free Taa let out a sigh of relief that could warm the snow of a mountain top.

He tucked his hands into his robes squeezing the silk robes "Then it's almost over."

"Not yet, the key position is the capital of Lessu, our spies are certain the Separatist leader Emir Tambor has his command center there." Master Windu told the war council.

"When we take the city we have, - capture Tambor we must." Master Yoda said raising his cane to point out the importance of the Separatists leaders capture.

Obi-Wan nodded in agreement stroking his beard "It's not going to be easy, Master, Tambor has chosen his stronghold well, this plasma bridge is the only way in or out." Master Windu said as a hologram of the City of Nabat appeared with a plasma bridge leading over a large canyon.

"I'm afraid a siege could drag on indefinitely." Windu finished, the relief that Free Taa had shown was turned into dread, he shook his lekku covered head "My people have suffered so much already."

"A plan you have to take the bridge, Master Windu?" Master Yoda asked him.

Windu nodded turning off the hologram of the city, off before he spoke "With our forces stretched so thinly, I'm gonna enlist the help of the freedom fighters led by Cham Syndulla, his fight against the droids made him a symbol of freedom for the people."

"Cham Syndulla was a radical before the war he is very unpredictable." Chancellor Palpatine said from his chair on Coruscant. "He can't be trusted. I know Syndulla seeks to gain power, we were political rivals." Free Taa snapped jumping into the conversation.

"I'll leave the politics to you, Senator, I'm gonna do whatever I can to help these people." Master Windu said not willing to back down from his plan because of some political feud between two prideful men.

Obi-Wan watched the men debate when Cody came up behind him and handed him a datapad. The jedi Master took one look before he brushed his nose with this thumb two times getting the quick glances of all three other jedi before the Chancellor offered another suggestion. "Perhaps we could send you Republic reinforcements instead?"

"There are no reinforcements available, Chancellor we can't win without Syndulla's help." Windu reminded him "Then I leave the situation in your capable hands Masters." Chancellor Palpatine said before the message was cut off, Obi-Wan waited a few moments before he looked at one of the clones operating the communications "Go to the secure channel."

"Yes sir, General." The clone said.

The holograms reappeared minus the two men from Coruscant, just the jedi "General Kenobi, something to report you have?" Master Yoda asked him.

"I do Masters during our siege of the city before the landing, we recovered the body of someone of interest." Obi-Wan said uploading the data pad, the holographic image of Karoc appeared with a wanted poster and details about him with a long criminal record "Who's this ugly mug?" Anakin asked his old master.

"Karoc, he was an underworld enforcer for the Black Sun crime Syndicate with his twin brother Vinoc, originally they were held in a prison cell together on Raxus." Obi-Wan said each one of them knew what the planet was now.

Anakin put his hands on his hips "Which is now the capital of the Separatists what about it?"

"This." Obi-Wan said throwing the lightsaber onto the holotable for all men to see in holographic form.

"That… can't be?" Anakin asked.

"Skywalker, it is." Master Yoda said solemnly shaking his small head "Hmmm grows the shadow of the dark side."

The men all looked at one another "And the brother?" Windu asked.

"Most likely here on Ryloth all reports of their criminal past show them working together, I sense that means he's here as well somewhere, but that's not all." Obi-Wan told them.

"Karoc was slain by a lightsaber to the back of the head, impaled." Obi-Wan told them and imminently Anakins ears perked up "Leo?"

"No way to know for sure but-" "Then he may be alive, Master Windu if you see anything please contact me." Anakin asked looking over at the bald headed man who slowly met Anakin's gaze.

Windu kept his stoic visage "Our mission takes priority Skywalker, but as we never found a body at the crash site I'd say your interim Padawan is fine he may have been the one who slew this acolyte." Windu said looking at Karoc's face, Anakin looked at the masters in disbelief.

"I'll have men scout the surrounding area for any signs of jedi activity." Obi-Wan said before Anakin had Captain Rex appear next to him in the hologram "Thank you master, we're about to engage one of the last remaining Separaitst ships on the planet may the force be with us.'

RYLOTH RESISTANCE BASE

Inside the caverns of the hidden stronghold of Ryloth's resistance, Leo was in the blurrg stables the empty ones at least shoveling hay and the animals droppings into a bucket "This is humiliating." Leo grumbled.

"Hey everyone's got to do it." Kasel said in the stable next to him, she also had a pitchfork she was using to shovel into her own bucket.

"But you think the General would include me in his war council, I've led men into battle and more planets than him." Leo said planting the pitch fork into another pile of droppings.

Kasel snickered "Is that an iota of pride I hear."

"Your one to talk?" Leo asked her.

"Yeah well you got to be when they don't let women fight." Kasel said as she stopped cleaning to look at him "Why is that?" Leo asked her.

Kasel shrugged "I have no idea, for some reason a bunch of Clans here on Ryloth think a woman should only be a mother, a bride or a dancer mind you I like the dancing but its stupid."

"That is stupid a woman could do anything a man can do, well there is one thing a man can't do." Leo said shrugging as the two of them laughed knowing exactly what it is.

"It's not pride if it's true." Leo plunging up his nose from the stench of the shite gathering in the bucket. Tired he walked over to another part of the stables and sunk to the floor reaching into his pocket he took out the red kyber crystal. He'd kept it on him since he crashed the crimson hue from the inside pulsing softly raising it eye level.

"What's that?" Kasel asked looking reaching the stable wall and snatching the crystal out of his hand. "Give it back." Leo barked shooting to his feet.

Kasel backed up "Hmmm it's a rock but a colorful one, this is a kyber crystal?"

She gazed at his mouth ajar "You jedi just carry these around I know they power your lightsaber we learned about that at school but…"

The girl's intrigued look changed, Leo's eyes were dark and he was twitching under his right eye "I said give it back." Before she could a group of the freedom fighters started to move past the stables in force, getting both of their attention "Hey what's going on?" she asked. One of the men answered her as Leo poked his head out of the stables to see Cham approaching from the interior of the base.

"Kasel, Jedi we've spotted more Republic forces heading through the battlefield General Windu is with them." Cham told them, Leo's face looked intrigued when he heard the Jedi Battlemasters name.

"I can make an introduction if you prefer?" Leo offered.

"No, need we have a droid patrol looking for the ones you took out, I think we'll make our introductions there, come." Leo and Kasel dropped their pitchforks glad to be rid of them before they followed Cham out of the base and mounted a pod of blurrg already waiting for them. Leo got on with Kasel who nudged him playfully "Hold on."

Leo blushed a bit as he wrapped his hands around her waist "Y-yes ma'am." He said with a smile before they rode off.

As they road Leo noticed Cham was riding at the head of the column far out of ear shot "So why doesn't the General trust the Republic?" Leo asked in a hushed tone into Kasel's ear.

"Before the war he spoke out against them many times, saying that Ryloth was mistreated under the Republic at how slavers pillaged our people for slaves and the Republic never helped so Orn Free Taa labeled him a radical, when you speak truth to power they'll make you the enemy." Kasel told him as they neared the battlefield.

Leo gazed at the back of her head then up to Cham and didn't press the matter any further. When they entered the battlefield, Cham got off his steed and everyone else dismounted there were five of them in all not counting Cham who slapped the backside of his blurrg making it run back to the direction of the base. The other rebels did so too and even Kasel "Won't we need them to get back?"

"We can walk besides the blurrg can make a lot of noise and we don't want the droids or your friends to hear us." Kasel said taking out her blaster and checking her weapon to make sure it was working.

"Kasel Master Windu only wants to help free Ryloth the same as me." Leo said taking the side of his own troops.

Kasel holstered her blaster "We'll see, maybe we'll kill them all." Leo looked at her shocked before she started laughing "Kidding, kidding but the look on your face ha don't be so serious all the time." she said punching him in the arm.

Cham raised his hand signaling all of them warriors to go silent and look to him, making some hand gestures he pointed over to a downed Separaitst ship for them to rally behind. Leo grabbed his lightsaber from his belt and rushed up behind Kasel and the others. Poking his head out Cham looked to see something that caught his eye, "Jedi came here." he ordered Leo.

Obeying, Leo climbed up next to Cham where he spotted two clone troopers in walker armor walking beside Master Mace Windu, "Ma-" Before Leo could call out to him Cham grabbed the boys mouth and shushed him before he pointed out to another patrol of battle droids, two super battle droids ones and six regulars. Lifting his hand from his mouth "We need to warn them."

The freedom fighter shook his head "Not necessary."

Leo looked back to see Mace Windu and his men get to cover behind a tank that had sunk into a crater as the droids almost spotted them. The Republic forces sunk out of view from both freedom fighters and droids, Leo looked at Syndulla with worrisome eyes "Stay here jedi, let my men handle this."

Cham looked at three of his warriors before pointing at them and signaled for them to go around and attack. Two went left another went third as Kasel and the other man got up next to Cham drawing their weapons, when everyone was in position Cham held up a fist to signal the attack. The resistance fighters ran out from behind cover with ones who hung back covering them opening fire on the droids "It's the resistance!" one of the droids yelled before Cham shot his head off, Kasel lobbed a grenade into the middle taking out both Super battle droids and before Leo knew it the fight was over with the twi'leks running back behind the cover vanishing as soon as they'd appeared.

It was only then did Master Windu come running out purple lightsaber drawn and both his men ready to join the fray, was it over. Windu lowered his guard before the twi'leks popped out again this time their sights trained on him, Cham hoisted his blaster before he climbed out on top of the downed gunship arms crossed "Master Jedi." General Syndulla said with no form of surprise or glee in it.

"General Syndulla, I've come for your help." Master Windu said up to him.

"What makes you think you'll get it?" Syndulla scoffed sticking his chin up, Leo couldn't take anymore groaning he climbed out before Kasel could stop him "General Windu sir."

Both Generals heads snapped with a pop to the boy, Cham's was filled with a silent anger but Windu was more surprised if anything "Padawan Rock what are you doing here?"

"Same as you sir fighting." Leo slid down off the ship and between the freedom fighters and Republic relief force. "Fighting so Ryloth can be free of these droids." Leo said pointing down at them looking at the other twi'leks who slowly lowered their weapons "After I was shot down I joined with the resistance and have been fighting with them since, it's good to see you master." Leo said before he bowed to him in respect, seeing Leo bow and Windu take notice of him instead of Cham made General Syndulla come down as well.

"You and your fellow Jedi have made great progress now that you've finally arrived." General Syndulla said as his men walked up to Windu and his two clones.

Windu turned his attention to Syndulla "At great cost, in order for this war to end here on Ryloth we need to take the Capital of Lessu, you need to take the Capital General." Windu said adding the last bit quickly.

"Come with me, it's better for us to speak at our base." Syndulla said gesturing for the jedi to follow. His men let him walk past him before they got between them and the jedi, Kasel was the only one who didn't move looking at Leo who stood behind Windu and when he saw her gazing at him. He looked away, Kasel's face grimaced and she quickly started to follow the other resistance fighters.

"How are things General?" Leo asked Windu as they followed, "With General Syndulla's help this war will be over in only a few days what can you tell me about him?"

"Sir?" Leo asked.

Windu gave the boy a stern glare "Cham Syndulla is known for his… radical ideals, but you've been inside his base with his men what do you think of him Padawan- we'll need him to take the city after all?"

Leo took a few seconds to form the right words in his head "He loves his people, he wants to make sure there not only free but safe after the war." Leo told him.

"So do all who lead resistances to occupations like this one, they've sacrificed much and will need to sacrifice more in order to take the Capital." Windu said reiterating their objective staunchly before he walked on in silence. Leo could sense that there was more to Windu wanting to speak with him but he held his tongue for some reason, while on their way to the base Leo noticed the two shock troops behind him.

He felt their eyes on him before he finally looked back "So what are your names troopers?" he asked.

"Stark, this is Razor sir." the clone on the left said before he pointed to his brother with his thumb "Nice to finally make our acquaintance Commander Rock, can't believe we were the ones who found the Berserker."

"Found?" Leo asked them, "Oh that's right you've been MIA, General Skywalker and Kenobi put our priority alert to report for any signs of you since you crashed." Razor told him.

"So any recommendations for a medal wouldn't be out of the question?" Stark asked before Razor elbowed him in the gut with his armor "How's that for a promotion brother." Leo snickered at the two soldiers at play unaware of the cruel engine of wars cogs were turning faster every second.

LESSU

Far away, in the capital city Emir Tambor was inspecting the landing pad of the capital cities highest level, Vinoc was behind him as a bodyguard while the Droid Commander was making sure a squadron of bombers were all in tip top shape before they would be sent out on their mission."Emir Tambor, our bombers are nearly ready for launch and now I will ready your ship for evacuation." the droid said when he saw Tambor approaching him.

"I am not yet ready to leave." Emir begrudgingly said still unhappy with Count Dooku's order to retreat.

"In any case, we have a schedule to keep, the ship will be ready." the droid said turning around to return to his duties.

Emir curled his gloved hand into a fist before he strode away in anger, Vinoc behind him "The droid thinks he's in command Emir Tambor." Vinoc whispered to him.

"What are you implying Acolyte?" Tambor wheezed before he adjusted his suits dials to continue "Count Dooku gave me command of our forces here, I am in charge."

Vinoc rolled his eyes behind Tambor back as behind his own, the acolyte waved his hand summoning the dark side of the force around his charges mind "Clearly, but I wonder if that droid cares about your spoils."

"Perhaps you're right?" Emir Tambor said suddenly "Go out and secure the last of this puny planets wealth and bring it here." Vinoc smiled hearing him fall under his spell "As you wish."

RESISTANCE HIDEOUT

The freedom fighters under Cham and Republic forces under Windu reached the stronghold of Ryloth's Resistance movement after their long walk back, as they entered the twi'leks gave even more worried looks to the newcomers then they gave Leo before. "Some hideout you have here." Windu said behind Cham.

"It has advantages." Syndulla replied, they walked by the blurrg stables with each beast inside resting.

"We saw the graves of many of your people in that battlefield as well,

together we can prevent that from happening again." Master Windu said, bringing it up seemed to strike a nerve in Syndulla's lekku he stopped making both jedi behind him halt too.

Leo sensed the general's rage reached a boiling point "Do you know why we were massacred, Master Jedi? When the droids swept over Ryloth, the Republic was unable to help us." He asked remembering the massacre so vividly it made his hands tremble.

"We were forced to surrender, and we came here unarmed, the Separatists brought tanks to exterminate us." Syndulla answered turning around looking at each Jedi, he locked his eyes like a sniper scope on Leo "Young Kasel's father was among them."

Behind them the clones were taking the tension out of the room with Razor looking at one of the blurrgs "Come here, boy, come on don't be afraid." Razor said reaching into the cage, it sniffed the body glove tips of Razor's black suit.

"See, there's nothing to be afraid of here." Razor said looking at Stark, before the blurrg snapped its jaws at Razor making him yank his hand out of the cage before he lost it. The twi'lek rebels behind him laughed hysterically at the clones faulty. One of them said something in twi'lek that Cham quickly translated.

"He says his blurrg may be ill-tempered, but she's much faster than your riding machines."

Razor took it with a grain of salt looking back at the blurrg and bending over to glare at it behind his helmet "I don't know about that."

Later they followed General Syndulla into the bases main hall and a young twi'lek girl ran up to him, he scooped her up and when Leo saw who it was, he noticed the twi'lek youngling was Hera.

"What is this, a scratch? Gobi, get better I need you." Cham said putting his hand on the man's shoulder comforting him, the man gave a complimentary remark in his native tongue that made General Syndulla smile.

He let Gobi go on his way before he turned around looking at the Jedi "We have little food or drink, but it is our tradition to share what we do have with our guests, tonight we will celebrate your success with a feast."

Syndulla and Windu shared a nod of understanding before the rebel General walked off to tend to other matters. "Razor Stark alert General Skywalker and Kenobi we've made contact with the resistance and we found our missing Padawan and will contact them shortly once we've gotten Syndulla to talk about helping us." Leo then found himself under the stern gaze of Master Windu "Meanwhile we need to talk, is there somewhere we could speak in private Padawan?" Windu asked him.

Leo poked around his mind for a few moments "Outside would be best sir, most of the rooms are filled with refugees sir."

"Very well follow me." Windu told him, later each jedi exited the resistance base.

They walked a good distance away from the base and stood out on a high hill looking over the remains of the battlefield. "You were at Nabat Padawan." Windu said in more of an accusation then a question.

"I was, the rebels here were going to try and save their people but Master Kenobi succeeded ahead of them and there's more Master." Windu's right brow cocked up waiting for him to tell more "You encountered another Dark Acolyte of Count Dooku's a man by the name of Karoc who has brother Vinoc?"

Leo bobbed his head up and down "Yes sir, I barely survived."

"Yes you slew Karoc, I'd say that's rather an improvement from your last encounter with these Dark Acolytes, which is most concerning." Mace Windu said.

Leo felt his fists clenched tight, "Concerning Master… I defeated him- killed a Sith isn't that a good thing."

"Killing is never a good-thing, Padawan." Windu said taking a step toward him, towering over the boy. Leo looked up at him but didn't look intimidated "It is more concerning that the Sith have taken an interest in you, we will visit more on this after Ryloth is free and the Separatists are defeated." Mace Windu said taking another step to pass Leo before he grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Beware of your pride Rock, overconfidence is a weakness to be feared." Mace Windu said walking back to the base, Leo followed him hand still locked in angry fists "Yes, master."

REPUBLIC FLEET

In the the sky of the southern hemisphere, the sun was slowly sinking behind the sphere of the world. The clouds had turned into an orange hue from the sun's light as Anakin and his squadron returned to cruiser, his yellow Starfighter landed in the hanger next to his pilots their ships chipped with blaster fire burns. Artoo popped out of his slot in the front of the ship along with its master and friend, waiting for them were both Captain Rex and Ahsoka waiting for him both of them smiling.

"Rex, Snips what's the word?"

"They found Leo Master, he's been with the resistance ever since he crashed." Ahsoka told him happily.

Anakin sighed with immense relief "That's what I like to hear." Anakin said "Rex make sure the men are ready to fly as soon as our fighters are refueled, Ahsoka I want you with me on our next run the sooner we get this finished the sooner we get Rusty back." Anakin said before Rex's comlink started to beep.

"Captain Rex, has Skywalker returned?" The voice of Admiral Yuralen asked from the bridge above.

"Yes Admiral, I'm with him now." Rex responded quickly.

"Good send him up, now." Admiral Yuralen ordered.

In a few short minutes the three of them were topside in the command deck, Admiral Yuralen was standing in front of the holotable inside the bridge.

"Alright Admiral what's so important?" Anakin asked dismissively "The Separatists have lounged entire squadrons of bombers and none of them are heading for our fleets." Admiral Yuralen replied callously.

Ahsoka's face scrunched up "Isn't that a good thing?" She pointed out confused.

Her master already knew the answer "There heading for the twi'lek settlements."

TWI'LEK RESISTANCE

The Twi'lek resistance finished their dance to the applause of the entire base, even Master Windu applauded them as he sat next to General Syndulla. Leo was sitting next to the troopers of the Lighting squadron, Razor and Stark who had their helmets off eating and drinking with the food shared with them. "That was great, I don't think I've ever been to a twi'lek dance recital?" Razor said.

"That's because you haven't." Stark said hitting his brother on the shoulder, suddenly the drum rhythm changed and some of the lights were dimmed "We getting an encore?" Razor asked when a single light was shined above down on the center of the room, out of the shadows and into the light walked a group of twi'lek girls with varying skin tones, but one had reddish pink skin with a white veil over her face attached to a jeweled lekku cap, when she looked at him Leo's smile of intrigue turn into a blush when he realized it was Kasel and what she was wearing. She wore stainless white cloth over her chest that was bound around her neck and under her arms showing her full navel, silver rings covered her arms and a long loincloth hung from her front and back with both legs wrapped up in cross leather wraps around her feet.

Stark nudged the boy before they started to dance, swaying their hips and arms in unison with the music, their body spun around in an alluring fashion bending forward and backward slowly as chimes were wrung by musicians next to the drums. The group started to part and Kasel took the center lifted herself on one leg to spin and dance in a mix of Twi'lek dancing and the traditional ballet of the Republic.

Leo's green eyes were transfixed on her as if he'd slipped into a dream as he watched her dance. Her hips moved like trees dancing in the wind with the white cloth around her waist flowing like water.

The drum beat quickened and so did her movements, Leo looked closer and as top her jeweled lekku cap was the red kyber crystal that Kasel had taken before. Kasel leaned back before she bent her head all the way back to the floor and rolled backup up slowly, the drums picked up again and she started to pierot, kicking one let up in the air she spun it around in sync with the drums faster and faster till she started to move across the center of the room, resistance fighters and civilians applauding her grace and skill before she stumbled right into Leo's lap, to the roaring applause and laughter of the crowd. Razor and Stark cheered the loudest for the boy as Kasel blushingly smiled up at him.

"That was amazing." Leo said to Kasel "You want amazing, follow me." Kasel said getting up and taking her bow before she left the stage and let another troop of dancers come out.

Razor leaned down to Leo "Kid, as clones we don't meet many women."

"You've never met a woman." Stark pointed out "I met Shaak Ti, but that's beside the point because when a girl like that says follow you stand at attention and say yes ma'am." Razor added.

Leo smiled at them for their advice but he looked over at Master Windu who was preoccupied speaking with General Syndulla "Go on kid, we'll cover for you."

"He means we won't say anything unless the General asks." Stark replied.

Leo got up slowly and moved out of sight behind the crowd of onlookers before he followed Kasel to the exit.

The two of them ran out of the base via a secret exit at the back of the downed separatist lander, Kasel only wore a poncho over her dancer robes which wasn't much. A few feet away in the shadow of another downed Separaitst ship was Kasel's blurrg mount already saddled with the reigns she grabbed Leo's hand with a smile and pulled him toward it "Where are we going?" Leo asked her.

"You'll see." Kasel said pulling him onto the blurrg.

She kicked the sides of the beast and it took off into the night, they passed by the ruins of the old battlefield and out onto the barren rocks with nothing but the stars keeping them company. "Hold tight." Kasel said nudging him from her backside, the blurrg moved at a faster pace leaping over rocks and deep crevasse till they had returned to one of the forests, Leo looked up to see a flock of birds take flight as they passed, she reared the blurrg deeper into the woods before the ground started to elevate, the blurrg climbed a steep hillside before they arrived out on a cliff side overlooking a large town. When they stopped they also heard a heavy roar in the distance, looking over each of their shoulders Leo's eyes got wide when he saw standing on the horizon looking right at them was a doashim, the very same bipedal beast that had tried to eat Leo.

"Is that?" "Yep looks like it's your doashim." Kasel said.

"My doashim?" Leo asked her.

Kasel nodded "Once a doashim hunts something well…. best to get of world."

Leo gulped "Will it come after us?"

"This is close to the village, no we're fine." she said.

Kasel got off followed by Leo "What is this place?" Leo asked her. Kasel fiddled with her fingers the white dancers gown she wore blowing in the wind showing her legs off more to him. She walked around the blurrg and took off a heat lamp dangling from the sandal and set it down on the ground turning it on, the orange light giving warmth to their legs.

"My village, this is the closest I've been since the war started." She said putting her hands around her back and turned around, she plucked the kyber crystal from her tiara and handed it back to the boy. Leo walked up next to her and gazed out at the small village he saw women and children walking the streets at night with lights burning in the windows. When he saw her holding out the crystal he took it "Thanks." he said before he put it in his robe.

"I don't see any droids, we should go down?" Leo suggested.

She gave him a slow head shake "I promised I wouldn't go back until Ryloth was free."

Leo reached out and took her hand in his own "Won't be long now."

Kasel noticed the boys hand was sporting a fresh cut "When this happen?" She asked him "Must have been during the raid this morning?" He said, Kasel rolled her eyes and tore off a piece of her dress to bandage it up for him.

She looked up at him "I guess so, you know I thought I'd die in this war I'm worried I may when we try to take the capital."

Leo could feel her hand tightly squeeze his own "You won't, I'll be there with you and Master Windu."

Kasel turned to him the moonlight catching her red skin in a pinkish glow up against his face. "And what happens after?" She asked getting closer.

"A-after?" Leo asked her seeing she was right up against him.

"The clones will stay to help us rebuild, you'll leave to go save some other world?" He asked, reaching up to cup his cheek the boys skin burned at her touch or she was that warm. In the distance a battalion of clones and tanks were heading to the village ready to secure it.

Leo didn't answer her but she waited for him to speak and when he did he stammered "I-I… I guess so."

"Then we shouldn't waste time with what ifs should we?" She asked getting a bit closer to him.

"We shouldn't." Leo said reaching up her other arm, Kasel leaned forward toward Leo and pressed her lips on his at the moonlights equinox in the night sky. Leo's hands trembled before she put her red ones on his to calm them, she broke the kiss and smiled before she led him back to the lamp. She started to sink pulling him down with her before she laid on the stone next to him starting to kiss him again moving her hands up his neck and into his hair playing with it before she took his right hand and moved it to her thigh upward and onward. She pulled him into another kiss before she let Leo start to get into the rhythm of what they were doing.

She rolled them over and got on top, smiling down at him her smile turned sour when she looked up and saw an entire squadron of Separatist bombers heading straight for them, "... no."

The bombers flew right over head and reigned unholy fire down on toe unsuspecting village, when the bombs hit Kasel screamed getting off of Leo she ran to the ledge still screaming.

Leo watched in horror as he saw people running out of flaming buildings before keeling over, Kasel got up and ran back to blurrg Leo followed her "Kasel, Kasel wait."

He jumped up onto blurrg after her as she took off, barely able to hold on Kasel rode down into the village, as Leo held on tight. When they got in Kasel dismounted a blaster in hand looking around at the carnage rough on by the bombers. The street was dotted with the dead and dying, those that remained were either injured or screaming over dead loved ones. A baby cried in the arms of a dead woman, a pair of whom tried to throw water on burning houses.

Running into the village from the opposite side were Windu's clone troopers, at the head of them was Commander Ponds in arc troope armor with reddish marks and horns painted on his helmet "Get those fires out, medics get in there."

Leo saw the clones and his training took over "Commander, commander!" Leo yelled running up to them.

"A jedi?" Ponds said in shock seeing him.

"Commander Leo Rock, 501st what's going on?" Leo asked him.

Ponds reached up to his arm and pulled out his holodevice showing the bombers "Separatists are launching a firebombing campaign, this is the first village they hit and there hitting others."

Behind them Kasel was digging through rubble before she froze, Leo felt the sudden pain and anger all at once and looked back to see Kasel had uncovered a child's hand buried under rubble. Walking over to her Leo reached out for "Kasel I'm so-" "Commander Rock we just picked up ad road convey due west of here heading for the capital." Leo heard Commander Ponds shout, Kasel heard him to and got up tears in her eyes she ran back to her blurrg and hopped on.

"Kasel wait!" Leo.

"They have to pay Leo, THEY HAVE TO PAY!" she yelled riding off for revenge.

Watching her shrink into the distance Leo spun around to "Get me a transport." Leo ordered "Right away sir." Commander Ponds replied.

In a few seconds an AT-RT pulled up with a clone on the back before he let Leo get on after him. Leo hit the gas pedal and raced after Kasel.

With a head start on him the twi'lek girl had found the droid convey there were two ground transports with an escort of patrol droids. As she made no effort to hide her approach the droids saw her coming a mile away "It's a resistance fighter but there's only one?" one of the B1 droids asked.

"Do we blast them?" another asked "Of course we do."

The droids opened fire on her and she fired back heading straight into the wall of lasers. Her mount took a beating of blaster fire and keeled over, she rolled off and got behind its dead body for cover shooting taking out some of the patrol in a few shots. Screaming she came around shooting at them taking out two more till there was only one "No, no, no." The droid said turning around before she shot it in the back.

Kasel looked at the destroyed droids her blood still boiling "I see why the boy likes you girl, you have such anger in you." someone said behind her.

Slowly turning Kasel looked to see Vinoc staring down at her.

Far off, Leo made it over the ridge Kasel had disappeared behind after she took her blurrg on without him. When he came over it he saw a separatist ship had landed and he saw Vinoc with an unconscious Kasel in his arms "KASEL!" Leo yelled pushing the walker as fast as it could go.

Vinoc smiled seeing the young lions approach, getting onto the ship he dropped Kasel on the floor and ran up behind the droid pilots "Get us back to the city." Vinoc ordered the droid "Roger, roger."

Leo tried to shoot the transport down before it got too high but it was too late, Vinoc had escaped with Kasel as his prisoner. Dread covered Leo's face just when Commander Ponds arrived with reinforcements. Leo reached up ruffling his hair shaking his head side to side at his failure "What do we do now sir?" Ponds asked.

In the distance Leo heard the roar of the doashim and raised his head, looking at Ponds Leo took a deep breath "Inform General Windu about the bombings, I'll rendveous with you when we take the capital." Leo said turning his walker around and heading away from the village and not in the direction nor the rebel base "What about you sir?" Commander Ponds asked.

Leo said nothing he just headed in the direction of the doashim.

TWI'LEK RESISTANCE BASE

The dance had yet to end with the crowd of onlookers enjoying the show unaware of the tragedy that had transpired "I hope you don't mind this, a little distraction goes far to ease the burden of the war on my men." General Syndulla said next to Mace.

"You have provided well for your men, all your people, so why won't you help me free them from this occupation?" Mace asked him.

"I don't trust senator Ta, his plans for our world after the war." Cham replied coldly but honestly.

"The Republic will help you rebuild, we won't abandon you." The jedi said in promise.

Turning his head slowly as if to examine an enemy Cham asked him again "Your troops will stay for security?"

"For a while, to keep the peace." Mace said hesitantly to the freedom fighter.

Shaking his tailed head Cham didn't care of the answer he got "Another armed occupation is not a free Ryloth, how long before I am fighting you, Master Jedi?"

Their conversation was interrupted by Windu's comlink coming alive "What is it?" Windu asked opening it to see Commander Ponds.

"The droids have begun a firebombing campaign, several villages in our sector have been destroyed, sir."

A hush fell over the entire celebration which had been brought to an abrupt halt, Cham bowed his head in a mix of emotions before he looked at Mace.

"Make the arrangements, I will speak to Senator Ta." Cham said his face filled with sorrow at the news.

Elsewhere, Leo had left his AT-RT behind and was walking through tall rocks in the wilds of Ryloth a low grumble of a growl came up to meet him as the doashim had found him before he found it. The horned drake looked at him with blood red eyes and Leo looked back at it before he took out his lightsaber ready for round two.

LESSU

In the occupied capital, Tambor was overseeing the loading of all the riches from ryloth "Is this all of it?" He asked the droids who were loading up chests onto the ship "We are still awaiting two transports from our southern base." The droid overseeing the loading said. The tactical battle droid approached him from behind looking at the crates.

"Should we depart without them?" It said but the Emir wasn't about to let the droid have its way "No, I will have every valuable on this rock before I leave." Tambor walked alongside the droid up to a mobile holo transmitter that had Count Dooku's image standing on it.

"Emir Tambor, why haven't you evacuated?" Dooku said unhappy seeing he was still there.

Nervously looking at the count behind his goggles, the Emir thought up a lie and thought it up quickly "Our exit strategy is taking more time to implement."

His excuse fell on deaf ears to the Count "I want you out of the city before the Republic arrives, once Master Windu has invaded the capital, you will bomb it from afar." Count Dooku ordered him "Am I understood?"

"Yes, count Dooku." Emir replied bowing in obedience to the Sith Lord, the Count vanished and when he was gone Emir looked over to the droid "You will not do anything until I give the order." He ordered.

But being a droid it felt no fear and simply replied "We have our orders, Emir."

When it walked away from Emir, Vinoc's ship landed behind Emir when the Acolyte disembarked he had Kasel by her lekku being dragged out "A gift your you Emir." VInoc said as he threw her to the ground in front of him.

When Kasel saw Tambor she jumped at him but Vinoc pulled her back by her lekku "A fine gift indeed Vinoc, you have served me well."

"I have, haven't I now, there's something I want from you?" Vinoc said up to the Emir.

"Name it." Tambor said.

Vinoc smiled as he pressed his boot down on Camel's back and said "The boy."

TWI'LEK RESISTANCE BASE

Back at the base, Mace Windu and Cham Syndulla were standing in front of the resistances holomonitor, when they turned it on they were greeted by the image of Senator Orm Free Taa standing regally in front of them "Senator Ta, so glad you could join us from comfortable Coruscant, our people have survived with only me."

"I knew you would try to turn this into a campaign to take power, need I remind you that it is I who leads our people in the senate?" Ta shot back in Syndulla's face.

"And it is I who leads our people here, and now." Syndulla responded in spite.

Mace Windu had enough of the two grown men squabbling like children "There will be nothing left to lead if you two refuse to work together."

He was cut short from his intervention by his comlink going off, "General Windu, do you copy?" It was Anakin who was in another part of the planet's skies hunting down the bombers as fast as he could.

"I hear you, Skywalker." Windu replied.

"My fighters are taking out the bombers as fast as they can, but there are just too many, I doubt we can stop them all; I suggest you get the people away from the cities." Anakin informed.

"You must destroy those bombers, Skywalker, then meet me at the capitol." Windu said not breaking his determination to end this war without delay, in the background both Ta and Syndulla had ended their squabbling seeing just how dire the situation was turning.

"I'll do what I can." Anakin replied before he cut the transmission.

Now free to resume their discussion Ta was at a loss for words, but found them quickly "What can the Separatists hope to gain from burning our homes?" He asked.

"Nothing, Wat Tambor spoils for others what he cannot possess." Windu told him "Then we must act quickly." Syndulla chimed in.

At the sight of both men pushing their resolve past their egos Windu did what jedi were always supposed to do, make peace "Senator, your people are hesitant to join us because they're worried there'll be another military occupation." He said trying to get both men to come to an agreement.

"The people have my promise that the clone army will leave once Ryloth is free of those droids." Ta said surrendering his pride for the sake of his people.

"What assurance can you give Senator Ta you will not try to assume power?" Mace asked Syndulla.

"I only want to see my people free, Master Jedi, I give my word I believe in democracy." Syndulla said bowing his head to the will of the jedi.

"Then we are together in this." Master Windu said gesturing for Cham to address his men, the General walked out to the main hal where the resistance had gathered in full strength "Men of Ryloth, the time has come to free ourselves!" A roar of approval leapt from the hearts of every warrior in the room ready for the final battle.

Windu looked over at Razor and Stark who were standing in the back, pushing through the crowd he approached them "Where has Padawan Rock gone now?"

"Um well sir… that dancing girl he sort of…" Razor stopped speaking when he saw the cold daggers behind Windu's eyes, "Try to contact him and while your at it get Commander Ponds to meet us outside the city it's time to end this war once and for all."

Later, the clone army under Windu had arrived to meet up with Cham's men mounted on their blurrgs. Windu was on one of his AT-RT's next to Syndulla.

"My men have had no word from Kasel or the boy." General Syndulla told him.

Mace Windu couldn't follow up on a question when two twi'lek scouts came running back with their blurrgs tails between their leads shouting frantically "Whats going on?" Windu asked Syndulla.

The General went from yellow to white in a second "Doashim, we may need that tank of yours."

"Commander Ponds ready the canon." Windu ordered, inside the tank the clones raised the lead barrels canon when they saw the doashim coming up over the hill and on its back was Leo holding the beast's mane as it came up to the army. The clones and resistance fighters stood down when they saw him on its back. "Would you look at that." Razor said next to Stark, both the doashim and the boy both had a set of new scars from what must have been as Stark said "One hell of a fight I bet."

"Generals I'm sorry I'm late, but I needed something faster than the walker." Leo told him "No one has ever ridden a doashim before, how did you?" Syndulla asked Leo's. Leo looked back at Master Windu who eyed the boy warly "I used the force."

It didn't take long after that for them to make their way to the outskirts of Lessu, they held their position just outside the city where Windu, Syndulla and Leo had gotten off their mounts. Leo's new doashim was sniffing a blurrg that Razor was on licking its sharp teeth getting hungry. Up ahead Windu was looking through a pair of binoculars at the city "Tambor is still there." He said,

"How are we going to attack with my people so close?" General Syndulla asked him.

"Your people will never be in danger if our walkers can cross the bridge into the city." Windu said handing him the binoculars so he could look, at the edge of the city was a plasma bridge that had been deactivated.

"The key is getting control of that bridge." Windu added pointing it out to Leo "Padawan Rock, that beast you acquired do you think it could make the jump?" Syndulla asked. While Leo and Windu spoke, Cham spied two cargo containers moving toward the city from a good distance ahead of them.

"Perhaps there is another way, my spies tell me those transports carry treasure." General Syndulla said pointing down to them.

"You think we can use them to get across the bridge?" Leo asked him "It is risky, they are usually scanned while crossing." Syndulla told them.

Windu looked down at the people in front of the city and made up his mind "When I get control of the bridge, you must start the attack." Windu said getting up Leo got up and started to follow him "Hold back with the main force Padawan Rock." Leo looked out at the city across from them then back at the Master "Yes sir."

Up above on the cities palacade Wat Tambor was standing in front of the holotable watching the republic forces getting closer, beside him stood the Tatical Battle droid "It is time to leave, the Republic walkers are holding 1,200 meters." It said when another droid approached him.

"Sir, the last shipments of treasure are approaching." The droid said as Emir Tambor examined the hologram of the approaching transports carrying his spoils of war.

"Just in time, activate the bridge and get them across immediately."

Outside the city walls, Leo climbed back up to the doashim with Syndulla on his war blurrg. Leo squeezed the beasts mane down its spine the dragon growling beneath him as Leo watched Windu and Lightning squadron get ready to get into the transport. The disappeared going around some rocks, after a few minutes the transports came around minus their escort "There in." Syndulla said from a pair of binoculars.

When Syndulla looked up at Leo he saw the boy was tenser than usual "What happened to Kasel young one?"

"She was captured by a separatist agent… whatever happens in their General, the man who took her is mine or I am his." Leo said down to the General, one look at his face made Syndulla nod "As you wish."

They watched the transport head over the reactivated plasma bridge, a patrol of droids approached the transport halfway across and started to scan the bridge "Thats not good." Leo said next to Commander Ponds who was on an AT-RT.

Suddenly the droids started to chatter among themselves and then make a run for the city. A pair of droids behind the back ground transport opened it up to see Windu and his clones, the jedi burst out with his lightsaber and attacked the droids taking them out. opened the back of the "Run for it! They're turning the bridge off!" Razor said. Leo and the clones watched as Mace Windu used the force to throw Razor and Stark across the open gap when the bridge went off, and the Master Jedi leaping from the falling transports to jump onto an attacking droid speeder. He road it to the other side and jumped off to face the entire droid gate guard of Lessu.

"I'll hold them off, get that bridge back up." Windu yelled at the two, Razor and Stark ran up to the wall as the twi'lek civilians around the walls hid behind cover as Windu engaged the droids.

Leo looked to see Windu surrounded by droids on all sides hacking and slicing his way through them blasting them with the force, up on the walls Razor and Stark broke into the gate house where they saw the flashes of red and blue lasers, but couldn't see the outcome of the firefight until they saw the bridge go on, reaching for his lightsaber Leo kicked the sides of his doashim and the beast roared.

"Bridge is up, the bridge is up." Razor said through the comma to Ponds and Leo, "CHARGE!" General Syndulla yelled taking lead, Leo tore out his white lightsaber and yelled with the rebels and clones heading across the bridge. While the blurrgs were faster then the clones AT-RT's, the doashim was faster than them all even with Leo atop its back. The beast ran past Chams and stampeded across the bridge straight toward the droids surrounding Windu. Master Windu quickly got out of the way of the oncoming creature that stomped over the droids and smashed right into the city gate knocking the doors down with its giant horns like they were made of cardboard. "Padawan Rock, hold!" Master Windu yelled but Leo couldn't hear him, the doashim swings it's massive tales and claws at the nearest battle droids and took out the other droids running away before its rider took it up other city buildings where it hoped over them like steps on a staircase before it dugs its claws into the wall and started to climb.

Windu was about to follow him when he entered the city to see the droid forces rushing up to meet him with tanks, battle droids in rows of rows of soldiers cutting him off.

Meanwhile Leo's doashim climbed higher and higher "VINOC!" Leo yelled up above the clouds. But it wasn't the sith who answered him but a squad of biker droids on their speeder turrets. The droids flew around the doashim before coming back around and shooting, Leo deflected their shots at the climbing doashim but some of them hit it anyway. The burns only seemed to enrage the beast, swinging its tail at one bike and clawing at the other before it resumed its climb this time much faster.

It jumped on the stone wall clawing to the top before it took another shot in the back, the doashim let out a fierce roar before it lost its grip. Leo hung on tight but saw it was either him or the doashim, the droid bike had hit them was in the boys sights. He jumped off the back of the dragon as it started to fall nad grabbed onto the back of the droid flying around them.

"HEy what are you-GYAA-zzzt." Leo sliced the droids head off throwing it off the bike before he flew the bike to the top of the two spires. Leo flew it up above the landing pad with a single ship waiting to take Tambor off the planet, and the Emir was above it in the Separatist war room, when Leo saw him he flew his stolen bike straight toward the balcony before he jumped off landing in front of Tambor lightsaber drawn.

"WHERE IS SHE!" Leo yelled grabbing Tambor by the tubes of his breathing apparatus "W-who?" Tambor asked in fear.

"Vinoc where did he take the girl?" Leo barked ripping the tube out of his mask, Tambor squealed and wheezed trying to get it back in "T-t in the temple-" Tambor managed to say pointing out of the room.

Leo ran down hallway Tambor pointed out as he got his tube back in, "Time to go…" Tambor gasped getting up and hurrying toward the exit. Back with Leo he passed into the highest parts of the city running past windows and narrowing hallways, Leo stopped on the opposite side of the spire where he looked to see the entrance to a large temple. It had four pillars holding up the entrance and rushed past them into the interior where he found them.

"Finally, I was beginning to think you wouldn't come." There, at the back of the temple in front of a wide stone pillar stood was Vinoc behind Kasel who was bound hands behind her back.

Leo raised his lightsaber "Let her go, I'm the one you want." Leo said turning off his lightsaber and putting it away trying to get closer.

Vinoc shook his head grabbing Kasel by the neck "Oh I do want you boy, I want you to suffer as I suffered, you see you took someone from me its only fair that I do the same right?" Vinoc asked with an evil smile. Leo watched Kasel tense up as something was pressed up against her red skinned back, she looked at him with her pinkish purple eyes wide with terror "Leo I-" a red lightsaber bursted out of her chest from the hand of Vinoc cutting her off from finishing her sentence.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Leo watched Kasel's body fall from the the temple steps as Vinoc started to snicker, that snicker turned into a light laugh before it rose into a roaring cackle. Leo ran forward and caught Kasel in his arms before he collapsed holding her "Kasel, Kasel no." Leo cried when she grabbed onto his robes, her grip growing weaker by the second. All sound around him fades away, the very temple disappeared around him and he was in the darkness and across from him still laughing was the revenge crazed Vinoc still laughing. But Leo couldn't hear anything coming from his mouth raising his tearfilled eyes Leo let go of Kasel and tore out his lightsaber and ran up the temple steps toward a waiting Vinoc. The Acolyte took his own saber in each hand when Leo activated his on and locked swords with him "I'LL KILL YOU!" Leo roared.

Vinoc parried his blow and spun around but Leo jumped up spinning in the air to dodge the red sword he landed low and came up quickly using his smaller size to move around Vinoc who pressed his strength on him. Their swords bounced of one another Leo striking from below and Vinoc trying to hammer him into submission on the temple pedestal moving around the preachers desk. Leo jumped on it and leapt off with his lightsaber over his head, yelling he brought it down like a hammer on an anvil making Vinoc go down on one knee. Leo drew back his lick and kicked the man off the pedestal, knocked off his feet Vinoc flipped onto the lower level of the temple by the pillars.

The Padawan followed his prey down in between the pillars and at such close range with their laser swords clashing like lighting, they chopped away at the stone leaving laser scorch marks where the stone was. Vinoc fell backwards before their laser swords locked once more, planting his boots against the stone Vinoc and Leo were face to face between their locked blades. The two of their faces were filled with bloodlust and rage to avenge their lost ones slain by the others hand.

So they fought on.

Vinoc pushed Leo's lightsaber out of the way and when he saw he couldn't hold the blade lock Leo backed away with his enemy chasing him. Leo saw a light in an open doorway and ran into it, the two of them entered into the Separatist War Room with the holotable. Leo resumed the engagement turning on the unsuspecting Vinoc to swing. Barely missing the man's head, the acolyte yelled and swung up at the boy. Leo caught the sword both lasers hitting the war rooms machinery causing the metal case around the wiring to explode. The close quarters of the war room were sliced to pieces much easier than the stone columns, the other machinery started to rupture from the blasts. Vinoc hit from Leo's left and he dodged making the man drive the saber into the holotable, Leo tried to strike at the man from behind but Vinco turned around waiting for the padawans lightsaber.

Sparks and flames spat out from the machinery turning the war room into an inferno of metal and exploding computers. Leo gritted his teeth seeing the Vinoc had skill with a sword and was much more serious then he had been before, driven by the desire to kill him and avenger Karoc Leo could feel the dark side seething off from Vinoc. But Leo showed signs of his own rage, the color had faded from his face the skin around his eyes grew dark as if it were infected with some infection a sickness had taken over Leo, the sickness of hatred.

They carried out onto the balcony before Leo turned around and ran up and outdoors stairwell up onto the uppermost terrace of the city's temple. It was an open courtyard made of stone the world of Ryloth was laid before them with clouds almost able to be touched overhead. Strong winds slapped into the stone brushing across Leo and Vinoc's face, the man was panting slightly as he came out after him and so was Leo but much harder, and he saw to see Vinoc coming upfrom the stairs. "Kill you, kill you, I'm going to kill you Jedi kill you for my brother." Vinoc said over and over again his rage consuming him.

Leo was standing on the very edge of the tower, looking around him he saw there was no way out of the fight.

Lifting his lightsaber with both hands, Leo squeezed the grip the white lightsaber beam erect in front of him and focused. Vinoc snickered seeing Leo was trying to call on the force "Thats it jedi pray to the light side for strength while the shadows of the darkness consume you."

Gritting his teeth Leo ignored him, then Vinoc ran at him from "DIE JEDI!"

Leo's eyes opened and dodged going under the lightsaber and raising his up to strike high, Vinoc caught it before Leo spun around to hit him from the opposite side. Vinoc parried it again and hit Leo in the jaw with the but of his lightsaber but Leo was able to cut Vinoc across the arm making the man grunt in two of them staggered back before going at each other again. Red and white lightsaber bounced off one another in flashes of light.

Vinocs growling turned into a yell and lifted his hand to blast Leo up against one of the stone walls around the terrace. Leo hit the ground hard as Vinoc gasped for air almost drained of energy and when he saw Leo starting to get up the acolyte swore.

"Why… Why won't you die?" Vinoc asked him

"Because…. I can sense your fear hehehehehe." Leo said raising his head and the boy tired and sweating was also smiling.

Vinoc furrowed his brow in an angry confusion "Fear, you think I fear you!" he yelled.

On his feet now, the red head shook his head "You fear death, that you'll die like your foolish, pathetic weak brother." Leo barked at him.

Down below on the palacade, Emir Tambor was running to his ship which had the tactical droid already onboard and taking off "My ship!" Tambor yelled.

While it flew away the droid contacted Count Dooku, "I'm afraid Emir Tambor refused to retreat in time."

"That is Unfortunate, order our bombers to destroy the capital immediately and what of Vinoc?" Count Dooku asked just as he asked, the tactical droid looked out the window to see Leo holding Vinoc over the side of the cliff, "Soon to be dead I calculate." The droid said before he showed the footage to Count Dooku.

"Interesting." Dooku said with a smile.

Back at the city, Mace Windu and the ryloth rebels broke through the last defense in their shock assault against the separatists, Windu ran up to Wat Tambor who threw his hands in the air at the sight of the jedi master "Surrender." Windu ordered.

"General Windu, perhaps we can come to a compromise." Tambor offered "Not when I hold all the cards." Mace Windu said smirking at him, just then the sound of droid bombers were heard on the distance.

When both of them saw them, Tambor saw a chance to die a martyr "It appears a surrender is unnecessary, we will all perish for the glory of the Separatist alliance." The bombers closed in priming their torpedos and bombs to launch when out of the clouds rushed tow jedi Starfighter belonging to Anakin and Ahsoka, they swooped in and took out the

"That was close, Master." Ahsoka said circling back around "Isn't it always, snips? Anakin said

On the palacade Windu was joined by Syndulla and his men surrounding Tambor "What are your terms for surrender?" Tambor asked the General, who replied "They're unconditional."

Tambor bowed his head in defeat knowing it was over "Agreed."

Anakin spied Tambor getting on his knees hands above his head and the cheering of the twi'leks, Ahsoka saw it to before she pulled around the spire at the top of the city and saw Leo locked in combat with Vinoc "Master, look its Leo and he's in trouble!"

"I'll show you you who's weak jedi." Vinoc screamed, the two of them charged like before Leo raised his lightsaber as if to strike from above but he dropped sliding past Vinoc's next swing and sliced the man at the leg with his lightsaber.

Vinoc also cut Leo across the arm making both of them stagger away from each other "I'm going to kill cut you up into little pieces and leave you for the beasts." Vinoc hissed.

Leo climbed to his feet "That's fine, I don't care anymore so long as I TAKE YOU WITH ME!"

Their lightsabers locked in the dance of combat once again parrying and countering, Leo spun over a swing while Vinoc dodged a slash that would have taken his head off. When they were both steady again their swords parried off one another side to side and from all directions and locked once more, Vinoc broke it off and raised his lightsaber over his head to cut down on him but Leo moved fast and drove his lightsaber right into the man's chest getting right up in his face. Vinoc wheezed feeling the air go out of his lungs feeling the lightsaber incinerating his heart, he looked at Leo who had no remorse in his eyes only anger.

"Now you can see your brother again-" he tore his lightsaber out "In hell." Vinoc stepped back once dropping his lightsaber before he went limp falling backward off the side of the building with Leo left standing.

But he didn't hold up his arms in victory and yell, he felt no pride or rage at that moment. Leo simply dropped his lightsaber on the stone floor and walked back toward the stairs. Staggering toward them he had to use the wall for support, passing through the still smoking remains of the war room he made his way to the temple. There he fell down in front of Kasel's lifeless corpse and cradled her in his arms, Brushing her face. He shook his head as he spoke "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…. I'm so, so sorry." He said as he started to weep.

Curling his arm under her Leo lifted Kasel off the floor and started to walk out of the temple. Even as the ryloth resistance swept through the city with republic troops and them cheering, Leo walked past them his face like the stone he was named after, he walked out of the upper levels and across the corpse of his doashim that had crushed a building under it. He passed over the plasma bridge and up above on the highest point in the city where the battle had taken place, only then had Anakin and Ahsoka arrived to find his lightsaber and spy him walking away from the city. By sun down he had reached the edge of Kasel's still smokin village, a heap of ruins were all that remained as he walked through the stacks of smoke to arrive at the hill they had shared. Leo laid her down and sank into the dirt and started to dig, he dug into the night after his fingernails had peeled off and were bleeding in the dirt did he finally lay Kasel in the ground wrapped up in cloth. Pushing the dirt over her till his hands were black from all the clay and grime did he rest beside her grave.

He knelt down looking at the mound his eyes too dry to cry any longer, he didn't even look behind him when a Republic dropship landed a distance away. Anakin and Ahsoka hopped off but when they saw him, Anakin grabbed Ahsoka stopping her from running up to him "Let me."

Anakin walked up the hill to see Leo kneeling over the grave, his slumped body covered in dirt an all familiar sight to Anakin. He knelt beside Leo and looked at him "I could tell you about how death is not the end for the Jedi, I could say all the things the Masters have told me… but right now I just want you to know Leo, I'm here for you."

Leo looked over at his Master hearing his words, his last tears started to form reddish with blood "But I wasn't there for her Ma-Master…" Anakin grabbed Leo quickly and brought him into a tight hug.

"I'm here Leo, I'm here." Anakin said as he held the boy "I wasn't there, I wasn't there, I wasn't strong enough- I wasn't strong enough grrraaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH" Leo cries of pain carried down to Ahsoka and Rex, across the fields of Ryloth and beyond.


	10. The Council's Concerns

**Chapter 10**

_**The Councils Concerns **_

_THE JEDI TEMPLE, On Coruscant _

_LATE AT NIGHT_

Dark thunder clouds raining heavily on the city from above, a Republic gunship descended with a star fighter escort through thick clouds. Inside the haul of the gunship stood Anakin, Rex, Ahsoka and Leo in silence. Leo was wearing his green robes again without any of the garments the rebels had given him on Ryloth more jedi now than rebel. The rain drummed on the ships haul and across heavy wind to the Temple's hanger doors that slowly began to open. Lighting exploded behind them into one of the many lighting towers keeping the city safe from any of nature's fury. There was no sky's traffic because of the storm, just in case it grew too fierce so when the gunship got closer to the doors opened enough for the ship to fly in dripping with rain. Its engines were steaming from the cold air as it landed, opening for the jedi still in the hanger were only jedi of the High Council, Masters Kit Fisto, Ki-Adi-Mundi and Master Yoda along with two men dressed in thick tan robes that went to the floor, they wore white masks with slits for eye holes. It had other features except for yellow markings looking like a fountain or tree on it Hooded too the robes and their masks made it hard to tell them apart. Their robes went into light gloves with pads on the arms and a thick belt with a metal buckle held row of keys with folded double bladed lightsabers pikes at their hips.

All three jedi who were not wearing masks wore grim expressions instead when the doors opened. Walking out Anakin stifled a yawn when the three of them walked out and bowed to the Masters in unison, "For returning from Ryloth so quickly, thank you Skywalker." Master Yoda said up to him.

"Of course Master, but perhaps I could speak with you and the other Masters in private before we assemble the council?" Anakin asked Yoda.

"Assembled they already are Skywalker, but listen we will." Yoda replied looking back at the two teens "Wait here you will."

Ahsoka nodded with a smile fighting a yawn before she said "Yes Master." But Leo said nothing, his eyes were distant with bags under them like Ahsoka.

The three masters walked out of ear shot leaving the men in the robes with the two kids, Anakin looked at the two Temple Guards with daggers in his eyes before he joined the Masters on the other end of the hanger.

"Who are they?" Leo asked Ahsoka looking at the other two jedi "Temple Guards, think like security guards only with lightsabers." Ahsoka said trying to make a joke but saw Leo wasn't even paying attention anymore he was looking down at Anakin and the other Masters.

"Speak Skywalker, this is a matter of grave importance now three sith in addition to Dooku's and his favorite assassin have appeared." Kit said to him.

Anakin raised his hand trying to calm him down "I know Masters but I need to say this." He said waiting till he had their attention.

"Very well." Mundi said letting him speak, "I don't take the appearance of these Dark Acolytes lightly Masters, more so with the attention they've paid both Leo and Ahsoka, however I fear the war is taking a toll on each of them." Anakin said hands behind his back looking over at Leo and Ahsoka, Leo was hunched over when Ahsoka reached for him trying to get his attention he pulled away quickly.

"The way of the jedi isn't an easy one Skywalker, you know this." Kit whispered to him.

Anakin nodded "I do Masters, neither is war while both my Padawan are strong in the force with advanced abilities they're still children Masters and they need rest."

"They may rest after the council has questioned them." Mundi said looking at the two padawans barely awake "No, I mean they need actual rest you summoned us straight from Ryloth they've barely slept since we left and I don't think they'd be able to answer the council fully without a proper night's sleep." Anakin said to them. He looked down at Master Yoda who sighed thinking on the matter it was a short thought a brief one.

"Continue this matter tomorrow, rest the Padawans should before we find out more about the Sith." Yoda said settling the matter.

Anakins hid his relief well bowing to Master Yoda's will, Mundi and Fisto bowed too before they walked toward the hanger exit. Anakin walked back to the two teens and brushed off the Temple Guard who walked away following Master Yoda out of the door. "Are we going to the Council Master?" Ahsoka asked him.

"No, you two are going to bed." Anakin told them.

"What?" Leo asked him in a tiring shock.

"Go to your quarters, take a shower and get some sleep we'll talk to the council tomorrow." Anakin grabbed each of them by the shoulder "You two have nothing to fear, it's just another report like any other so think of what you want to say, Ahsoka, Leo you both did great on Ryloth and have nothing-" Anakin shook Leo to get him look at him "Nothing to be ashamed or afraid of." Anakin told them.

Both Leo and Ahsoka followed Anakin out of the hanger down the hallways till Anakin headed down a different hallway to the Knights dormitory leaving Ahsoka and Leo alone in the dark hallways. The temple was asleep for the most part, only the dimmed lights of lanterns and the occasional lighting strike outside gave them any light in a long silent march to the dorms. Leo was trailing a bit behind Ahsoka who kept glancing at him to make sure he was still there "This way." She said up a flight of stairs eventually they found their way to the Padawan dormitory in the temple. It was so late there was nobody in the dorm hallways. The entire time they had both walked in silence "Real nice of Master Skywalker to let us get some sleep before we spoke to the council right Leo?" Ahsoka asked him.

But he didn't say anything he just kept walking "Leo talk to me, please?" She tried to grab his hand but he pulled it out of her grasp as he headed to the boys side of the dorms.

"What do you want me to say Ahsoka?" He asked stopping at the doorway putting one hand on it, his back to her.

"Tell me what happened to you on Ryloth?" She asked.

He still refused to look her in the eye showing on his back "... I failed." Was all he said before he walked down the dark hallways of the dormitory before he was consumed by it and she was no longer able to see him. Leo walked down the hallways of the boys dorm till he arrived at his quarters, opening the door Leo walked inside and reached into his robes pulling out the red kyber crystal. It glowed slightly pulsing in his arm giving the room some red light. He walked to the bed and set it down across from the pillow laying down he looked at the red crystal "What do you want from me?" He asked.

"What do you want from me….?" He asked the crystal again looking at its glowing ember.

"What do you want…. from me….?" He asked her again, the krystal starting to glow brighter pulsing.

"What do you…. want… from...me?" He asked, starting to hypnotize both green eyes.

When he started to fall asleep, a chance to rest something from the darkness, from the blackest pits of the galaxy answered him as he asked "What… do…. you…. want….?"

_**.…..Y**_

_**...o...**_

_**u…...**_

THE FOLLOWING MORNING

The sun was almost in the middle of the sky when Anakin, Leo and Ahsoka were rising in the elevator to the High Council chamber. It was the highest point in the temple and that meant the longest elevator ride too. The three of them were silent while it elevated them, Ahsoka and Anakin both looked refreshed but Leo appeared like he hadn't gotten even a minute of sleep in the long night that preceded their report. As the elevator slowed down reaching its apex Anakin turned around one last time to each Padawan "Remember be honest, you have nothing to fear."

"Of course Skyguy, it's you I'm worried about the Council's favorite game is who can scold Skywalker the most." Ahsoka said playfully, winking at Leo but he didn't even notice her. The doors opened and the three of them, they were greeted by a full circle of Jedi masters sitting waiting for them. With the exceptions of Master Windu, Kenobi, Ti, Yaddle and Koon who were all in holographic form the rest of the Masters were assembled in their respected seats.

The three jedi walked in and all bowed with Leo rising slowly meeting the gaze of Mace Windu, even though it was a holographic set of eyes he felt them pierce inside him like arrows shot from afar.

"You may begin your report Skywalker." Master Plo Koon said from wherever he was in the galaxy.

Anakin stood up straight hands behind his back "Thank you Masters, I'd like to turn you over now to my Padawan Ahsoka Tano who led our forces to victory over the world in breaking the blockade."

He let her go forward and Ahsoka bowed, "Masters when we first faced off against the Separatists Fleet we underestimated them losing one of the quarters and the other was compromised, Padawan Rock was shot down but was able to survive with the help of the local freedom fighters." Ahsoka said.

"Before General Kenobi could land we used our ships lower hull to our advantage to draw in the Separatists fleet after Master Skywalker used our last cruiser as a fire bomb ship." Ahsoka told the Masters, Leo felt each Master looking at them while they listened to Ahsoka. They were also looking at Leo. He reached up to his pocket where he usually kept the kyber crystal but something made him leave it behind in his dorm. Ahsoka continued on as Leo looked up to see Kasel standing in front of him with a red lightsaber sticking out of her chest. Leo locked up at the sight of her, neither of her eyes showed any pupils they were white, dead, soulless looking right at him.

"Padawan Rock?" Leo snapped to attention looking to see everyone was looking at him and Kasel was gone.

It was Windu who spoke and then said "You may begin your report?"

Leo cleared his throat "After I crashed, I was recruited by local resistance fighters, we made for the city of Nabat to help General Kenobi but we encountered a problem." Leo said, his mind flashed to the fight between Karoc and Vinoc, cutting him with their lightsabers taunting him before he killed Karoc.

"Please Padawan, Elaborate?" Master Luminari asked him.

"I engaged two Sith Acolytes, they went by Karoc and Vinoc well trained in the Jedi arts each one fought single handed for the most part, similar to Count Dooku I was able to defeat the first brother in Nabat and at the other after we breached the Capital." Leo finished rather quickly wanting to get over with as fast as possible. The Masters sat there quietly, all looking at him intently each one looking inside him with the force, a few then looked at each other sharing glances and looks only they knew the meaning behind.

Before the silence grew awkward Master Plo Koon spoke "Master Windu and Master Kenobi confirm that you were with the Twi'leks for some time after Nabat was freed, if you were in the city why did you not try to rendezvous with either of them?"

Leo avoided the masters gaze hidden behind the mask he kel dor used to breath, "I was injured in my duel with the Acolytes Master, the twi'lek freedom fighters took me to safety. I believe the reason they didn't leave me to die was because I wanted to understand why we were there."

"Yes, Cham Syndulla spoke highly of you, Windu also claims that the Acolyte kidnapped a young twi'lek fighter you were with and is this why you engaged the second brother?" Secura asked him to his left.

Twisting his head over to meet the masters view so he could look her in the eye "Yes Master, she saved my life I felt like I had to do the same."

"You felt the need to abandon your post with Master Windu?" A short lannik jedi master, with light skin like a human but with ears longer than master Yoda and top knot.

Leo didn't have an answer ready for him "For the record Master Piell, I'd like to note he disobeyed my order hold back though he may not have heard me over the battle." Master Windu added from Ryloth where he sat in a private chamber overlooking Less, with Master Kenobi sitting next to him light years away.

"But why try to save one life over the lives of the civilians to help bring the battle to an immediate end." Luminara asked when Leo didn't produce an answer fast enough.

"I didn't think the Master Windu and General Syndulla needed my help in taking the city." Leo told her this time avoiding their gaze knowing he'd disobeyed his duty to the order.

"How did you know where to find the Acolyte?" Plo Koon asked, pressing his claws together curious. "I… I asked Wat Tambor Master." Leo told him, more shared glances as if they were having a secret conversation among themselves without even talking, "Leaving Master Windu to apprehend him instead of capturing him yourself?" Kenobi asked him.

The boy stiffened "You understand our worries, If you had the battle would have been over sooner, instead you went after a Sith to save a single person, one life cannot stand in the way of the many but that is irrelevant to the Siths growing interest in you, Leo Rock?" Windu asked, leaning up in his seat. Leo gulped at his words had they found out about the Naboo incident too, were the Temple Guard going into his room finding the Kyber Crystal he'd hidden under his pillow and did they know about the Mummified Sith Lord? But through it all he remembered had they seen him after Kasel was murdered by Vinoc in cold blood, the rage and the anger at how he dropped the acolyte to his death that he had avenged her.

"...but maybe it should…." Leo said softly almost a whisper.

The Council heard him either way "You put your own desires ahead of your duty, we are fighting to end this war not chase after personal crusades." Master Piell said.

Leo looked at her "I was only-" he cut himself off his frustration rising "Yes, Padawan?" Master Yoda asked him.

"I wanted to save her, she was why we were fighting Master and she fought to free people from this war the man Vinoc went after her because of me, because I killed his brother."

Each Jedi heard what he had to say "A trap this was, see this you did, yet went anyway you did?" Master Yoda said in his reverse speech.

"I thought if he killed her he'd go after more twi'leks." Leo told them "Why not wait for aid, were you so sure he'd kill her if you faced him?" Obi-Wan asked.

Both the green eyes snapped to Obi-Wan "Because he stabbed her right in front of me dammit!" Leo said his voice rising.

"Leo." Anakin hushed him, the outburst didn't surprise any of the masters, almost like they anticipated it.

"The fact remains that a lone Padawan learner was able to defeat not only a hardened killer but one trained by Count Dooku we believe, you must be very proud Skywalker?" Master Luminara asked Anakin to give him a chance to speak.

"I am Masters, Leo and Ahsoka accomplished much at Ryloth." Anakin said in taking his hands behind his back to rest on the shoulders of each Padawan showing he stood behind them.

The next one to offer praise came from the Council's most unlikely member, Master Windu "As you should be."

Leo's head shot up in stern surprise, his green eyes widened like an owls and Ahsoka sighed in relief but hid it under a smile of pride "For Padawans your age to do so much, Ahsoka you outwitted an experienced Separatist Admiral allowing for our troops to land and you Leo defeating not one but two dark siders alone, in gratitude and reward Senator Orn Free Taa has requested to meet with you both today to personally thank you for your service to the Republic, please wait outside while we speak to Skywalker alone." Windu said dismissing both of them, the two Padawans bowed then walked back to the exit, as they went into the elevator Leo and Ahsoka looked over their shoulders to see Anakin give a thumbs up behind the back before the elevator door opened for them to get inside and shut before its descent.

When it did, Ahsoka and Leo's mouth opened like exhaust vents each of them breathing a sigh of relief their hearts racing a million kilometers "You were worried too?" Leo asked her.

"Of course I was, I totally botched the first attempt to break the siege, you got shot down under my command and tried not to screw up the rest of the way." Ahsoka said leaning on the wall hands on her hips.

Leo ruffled his fingers through his hair "I thought they were looking right into me."

"Oh my gosh right?" Ahsoka told him "But we did it, we survived and we're getting invited to the Senate by an actual senator, I wonder if we'll see Senator Amidalla there?" She asked herself.

Leo looked over at her, how calm she was and relaxed even excited now that they were going to the senate tower "What?" She asked noticing he was staring at her. He quickly looked away "Nothing I just… I just had a different experience on Ryloth that's all."

Ahsoka dropped her arms and turned away thinking how embarrassed she acted "It must have been hard Leo, losing a friend like that?" She said

"It was." Leo retorted shortly.

Ahsoka thought about reaching out to him again but drew her hand back before he could see it "Well we can talk about it whenever you're ready."

Finally he looked at her with an actual smile "Thanks Ahsoka."

Meanwhile, up in the Council Chamber the air of the room had changed the second the Padawans walked out from an aroma of praise to one of intent and paranoia. "So it is as we feared, the Sith are returning and in greater numbers." Master Windu stated to the rest of the council.

"What's worse is I fear you're correct Master Windu in assuming they have an interest in my padawans." Anakin said actually agreeing with Windu for once.

"My old Padawan and Master Windu agreeing, these are dark times." Obi-Wan said from his holographic seat, the council chamber was filled with laughter and snickers allowing some of the tension in the room to break. Both the men part of the joke even saw the irony of it and broke smiles, "Thank you Master Kenobi I believe we all needed that." Luminara said to him.

She wasn't finished there "But how are we to proceed, we all remember in the days of the Old Republic how the Sith would recruit from our own order, tempting even the strongest of Jedi with the Dark Side." Luminara said tapping her finger on her desk while she brushed her knuckles on her chin "Karnuss Murr, Ulic Qel-Droma and Exar Kun, Revan and Malak all of them once promising Jedi turned to servants of darkness for their own ends; we must be cautious."

"Are you implying something Master Umduli?" Anakin asked the green skinned mirallian woman, as he now stood alone in front of the council it felt like he'd be standing against them soon.

"Only to be proactive Skywalker, if the Sith seek to turn even one of your Padawans we must be ready to protect them." Luminara told him to his face.

Anakin kept his stoic visage but there was a hint of relief that the Council was taking the matter seriously and considering the wellbeing of both his students "I have little doubts that either Ahsoka or Leo would be turned so easily."

"Yet you have doubts nonetheless, perhaps asking you to take two Padawans at once was too much and they should be separated?" Windu asked, wanting to know more.

Anakin realized he'd have to tell them sooner or later, and that sooner would be better "With respect Master Windu." Master Secura started taking Anakin's side

"Ahsoka is strong and fearless but a bit naive she has confidence so much that it can turn to overconfidence when left unchecked, Leo has other issues ones I believe Skywalker can tell us more about as his interim Master." Ayala said turning it back over to him.

The council didn't say anything letting him continue "In all sense of the words he and Ahsoka could not be more different, her confidence and vigor cast a shadow of brutal doubt within Leo. I sense the fear of failure is constantly on his mind, that he carries so much pain within him and fears if he shows it he will be scorned for being weak. But from that I've witnessed his strongest qualities he cares for those who fight beside him, he dedicates himself to whatever task he's been assigned and in victory or defeat he will fight to the end even if the odds are against him."

"I concur with Skywalker." Ayala Secura said across the council chamber "Both Ahsoka and Leo are strong and they have qualities that couldn't make them more different, so why then do you wish to keep them together, are you not afraid of an emotional attachment being made, we already have seen it with the boy and this girl who died?" She asked him.

"I was getting to that Master Secura, it's my hope that the qualities that each of them have and don't have will bring out the best in the other, Ahsoka's kindness and confidence might be shared with Leo to let him open up to us, as his discipline and resolve could pass to her and make her a better a jedi." The Council shared glances understanding how Anakin could feel this way.

"Spent some time with both Skywalker and his Padawans Master Secura, agree you still do?" Master Yoda asked the twi'lek jedi.

Anakin and her shared a brief glance "No Masters." She said starkly.

The sudden turn on Anakin caught even the chosen one by surprise "But I do not disagree, the bond between him and his students is strong and strength in unity is what we need most if the Sith are truly returning." She said smiling at him regaining his confidence in her.

"So you think he should remain teaching them both?" Master Mundi asked.

"I do, Master Krell has taken no notice of his rightful Padawan has he Master Skywalker?" Ayala asked giving him a title even if it was respect and not official "I've sent Master Krell many reports of Leo's well being, the only response has been where his fleet will be next in correlation to my own." Anakin said though there wasn't much to say on the matter.

Ayala thanked him before continuing "Skywalker's theory has merit Masters, breaking them up no would only invite more doubt in the padawans minds allowing dark forces to find their way to them."

"Master Windu?" Yoda asked sensing the discontent within the stoic jedi master "Very well, on one condition?" Windu asked holding up a single finger to make his point known.

"Yes Master?" Anakin asked.

Windu answered "You must go on a retreat Skywalker, this war has already put a great burden on your padawans and yourself, reflect, meditate and we will speak more when you return." Anakin's confidence smile at the Council's approval turned to one of dread being sent on the retreat, which for Anakin was like being sent to your room without supper.

He forced a begrudging smile "As… you wish Master." Obviously still unhappy with it.

"Ah there it is, false alarm everyone the Republic will not fall today." Obi-Wan said earning him another rouse of snickering and soft laughs from the Masters thanks to his famous wit. All the masters rose while the holographic ones disappeared, Anakin bowed and nodded at each Masters as they walked by them. Even Master Plo went out of his way to approach him with a shake of confidence on the shoulder.

"Well done Skywalker." Before he passed by him till only Anakin and Master Yoda were left in the room.

When he noticed it, Anakin got down on one knee not just because the Master was very very short, but as a sign of respect. Yoda looked at him with his old eyes ancient and mysterious but full of wisdom "Yes Master Yoda?" Anakin asked.

"Careful you must be Skywalker, the Dark Side has followed you since a boy you were now threatens your padawans it does." Yoda told him.

Anakin didn't take the words lightly "I'll protect them and they'll protect me." Anakin said, Yoda didn't respond right away he only started to walk to the elevator "Protect whom from each other, wonder I do."

Later, both Anakin and Master Yoda shared a long silent elevator ride down to the rest of the temple as it opened they saw Leo and Ahsoka sitting on a bench outside the elevator steps, the rest of the Masters either dispersed into the temple and chatting in small groups outside the elevator waiting for Master Yoda or some other reason. When their master walked out Leo and Ahsoka rose to their feet to greet them.

"Come on kids, I'll drop you off at the Senate tower." Anakin said for them to follow like a parent walking out of a parent teacher conference.

Both of them kicked their heels and obeyed "Did everything go alright Skyguy?" Ahsoka asked him.

"More or less, the Council wants me to go on a retreat so I'll leave you to entertain Senator Ta while I go on vacation." Anakin said smirking back at her.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes with a scoff and looked at Leo "Figures, Rusty and I do all the work and he gets all the reward."

"Well he did save the Capital from being bombed?" Leo said.

"I was there to you know and I shot down more fighters in our count didn't I Skyguy." Ahsoka said trying to get Anakin to tell Leo the truth.

Anakin stopped arms crossed "Snips for the last time, bombers do not count as double."

"Only because I shot down more." Ahsoka sniped up to him "How much do Dark Acolytes count for, cause I got two?" Leo asked joining in suddenly, both of them snapped their eyes to him at saying such a thing.

Anakin gasped "Leo just made a joke, maybe Obi-Wan was right it is the dark times."

"The senate tower will probably fall on us as soon as we arrive." Ahsoka said in jest resuming their walk down the hallway together "Ah you worry too much Snips, the Senate is the most boring part of the Republic nothing interesting ever happens there." Anakin said not realizing just how enormously wrong he was going to be in the next few hours.

**Next, Hostage Crisis. Sorry for ending it short this time but I figured this was a good place to stop and wanted to end a chapter on a high note for a change. **


	11. Hostage Crisis

**Chapter 11**

**_Hostage Crisis_**

Anakin's ship the twilight flew down the Senate Tower of Coruscant, seat of the most powerful government in the history of the Galaxy. The Grand Republic, a beacon of light and democracy for over millennia as a place where people from all races could come and be heard. And since it stood all those centuries so have its Jedi Protectors who were heading toward the tower at that moment. When the Ship landed Anakin walked out to the edge of its loading ramp and let Leo and Ahsoka get off ahead of him. Artoo was with them as well as Anakin's copilot, the blue and white R2 unit beeped happily watching the two padawans.

"Alright kids, now don't be partisan to any bills, take money from special interest groups or try to seize power by making Senator Ta wet himself as hilarious as that be." Anakin said arms crossed watching them go.

Ahsoka and Leo looked back smiling at him "Enjoy your retreat master, send us a holocard." Ahsoka said waving him goodbye "May be the force with you." Leo said in classic jedi protocol.

"It always is." Anakin said saluting them playfully before he flew back into his ship. Both padawans waved goodbye to their master before turning to the entrance of the senate tower.

"What do you think he does when we aren't there Rusty?" Ahsoka asked him Leo shrugged back at her "I don't know probably washes his hair ten times over." He said as the Twilight flew around the tower out of sight before circling back around overhead, Anakin got up from his seat "All you Artoo tell the council I'm on my way to my retreat while I take my real vacation." Anakin said opening up the door to the Twilights back hanger, Artoo said something to the Jedi in droid speak and Anakin chuckled "I'll tell Padmé you said hi." He said over the wind before Anakin Skywalker did what he did best, the unthinkable and jumped. He fell toward the domed senate tower at increasing speed before he somersaulted and used the force to slow his fall. Landing on the outer haul of the tower he slid down to one of the ledges of the tower. He made his way to the nearest vent and slid inside chuckling "You must go on a retreat Skywalker because I'm bald and your hair is so much better than mine because you have some…. is what I should have said." Anakin said doing his best Mace Windu impression before he got into the.

In the halls of the Tower itself, Leo and Ahsoka had walked throught he public entrance and were heaeind go the higher levels when were stopped by a group of Senate Commandos "Identification?" one of them asked "Um Jedi?" Ahsoka asked gesturing to her lightsaber "Identification?" the guard asked again. Leo reached into his robe and pulled out a card "Padawan Leo Rock and Ahsoka Tano to see Senator Ta of Ryloth."

They were in front of a large checkpoint on a large set of stairs with Senate Commandos checking them in "This is Valor Squad, we have two Jedi here to see Senator Ta." One of them said behind his mask into a com piece of blue painted armor. Their helmets were plumed with black face masks over their eyes and mouth.

"There cleared, let them through." The voice from the other end said letting them enter into the temple. The curving hallways were adorned with crimson carpets intricately woven with unique patterns statues of the old republic were set in places around each door, mirroring each other.

As they walked Ahsoka noticed there weren't many people there today "Do you ever wonder about the Senate Guard?" Leo asked "What?" She asked.

"Well they aren't clones, in the days of the old Republic we had an army of every world now we use clones why not clones for Senate Guard too?" Leo asked her "Well why not regular soldiers instead of clones?" She asked him.

Leo nodded "True, but I think us as Jedi and the clones as soldiers make a great fit for one another don't you think they were bred for this war and we're trained to keep the peace?" Leo said, "Makes sense." Ahsoka said as they kept walking.

"Where's Senator Ta's office again?" Leo asked Ahsoka.

The torgurtan gulped "I thought you knew."

Both of them stopped in the middle of the hallway as Senators and their aids walked past them, droids too none of them noticing the two definitely lost Padawans before they started walking again.

"Should we ask for directions?" Leo asked her.

"No, no, they'll be gossiping all the way to the Temple if we do." Ahsoka said to him as they kept walking "The hallways are a circle I'm sure we'll find it eventually?" Ahsoka said.

Suddenly the two of them heard a voice behind them "Hmm two padawans, but no master something missing in this picture?" The two of them turned around to see Senator Padmé Amidalla standing in front of them holding a board of holopads. She was wearing a lilac gown with a pale blue corset, and a purple high collared vest over her torso, she wore a golden headdress keeping her brown locks up in a vase like fashion, and a matching necklace of three rings around her neck. Her brown eyes gleamed at the sight of the two padawans as she approached them, Ahsoka smiled too "Senator Amidalla so good to see you again."

Leo and her bowed to the woman who chuckled "So where is Anakin, off saving the day somewhere and neck deep in trouble?" She asked.

"The Council has sent him on a retreat, we're here to see Senator Ta but we're… a little lost." Ahsoka said up to him.

Padmé noticed Leo had been rather quiet since they met so she turned to him next "I heard you two practically saved the planet yourselves with how Senator Ta put it."

"That's two planets two have saved now." She said warmly to him, Leo blushed at her praise and smiled "Thank you ma'am- malady." He said correcting himself.

Padmé looked to his fellow Padawan, she shrugged "I'm still house training."

Not laughing at the joke but still amused Padmé walked between them "Well let's not keep the honorable Orn Free Ta waiting, I'll show you the way, come with me." She offered.

"Thank you malady." Leo said following her with Ahsoka, he gave her a soft nudge with the end of his boot on her leg and Ahsoka smashed her fist against his arm making Leo silently scream from the pain. The two of them followed her down the hallowed halls of the Senate as Padmé gave them the tour.

"To the left you have the Senate haul and the right are our offices, mines on this level to about eight doors down from Senator Ta's if your ever here again, I'd love the company." She said as Leo noticed many senators in the halls talking to one another as other aids ran down the hallway with droids racing after them.

"Seems pretty busy?" Ahsoka said.

Leo watched two droids collide into each other "I'd say."

Padmé kept moving forward "There's a new bill on the floor today, the Enhanced Privacy Invasion Bill it would let the Republic spy on its own citizens, while the Chancellor supports it many of are against it."

"Why, if the people have nothing to hide why would you be against it?" Ahsoka asked her, Leo looked at her his mind racing to the red kyber crystal and his secrets.

"Because everyone deserves privacy Ahsoka, but more on the point is it could turn the Republic into a police state." She said arriving at a new door.

She turned around stopping and gesturing to the door "Here it is, Senator Ta's office best to knock." The senator said back to them.

"Thank you for helping us Senator, we'll come by to see you before we leave if we can." Ahsoka offered in gratitude to their savior. Ahsoka pressed the doors ding to alert anyone inside of their presence.

On the other side of the door there was a quick shuffling heard on the other end before a voice answered them "One moment please" the remark was made

"Of course, again just a few doors down." Padmé said walking away, she headed down to her own office and opened the door nearly dropping all of her holopads and papers when she saw Anakin sprawled out on her desk one leg arched over the other as he rested his head on his hand, with a wink and a smile he seductively said "Malady." Padmé shut the door and turned at him red faced with embarrassment. Back with the two padawans, the stood out the door hearing a commotion on the other side before the doors opened with the illustrious and enormous Orn Free Ta, Senator for the Twi'leks of Ryloth. "Ah Skywalker's padawans, the Heroes of Ryloth." He proclaimed his belly shaking as he spoke saying it very loud so that some people in the hallways heard him.

Ta was so big he had to take a step back from the door so they could enter "Please come in."

"Greetings Senator Ta, the Council told us you wanted to speak with us?" Ahsoka said making the introduction.

"Come, come sit down." Ta said walking over to his desk, it had many plates on it with various treats and vegetables. "Care for anything to eat?" He asked walking over to another table this one covered in desserts and treats that he scooped up into his hand walking over to his desk, some of them didn't even look like food more like slugs or rocks painted strange colors.

The both shook their heads looking at him stuffing them into his face "I wanted to personally thank the two jedi who have done so much for my people." Ta told them.

Ahsoka stood up a bit straighter at such praise, Leo noticed it "Thank you Senator-" "You are most welcome all the other Jedi said no, Not Windu, Kenobi or even Skywalker."

Both Padawans shot each other a glance with mixed emotions, was this an actual honor, or had then been given a meeting that nobody else wanted They wouldn't be there for long because outside a Coruscant Public speeder was shuttling a group of people with dastardly intent. There only four sentiments among them the other four were droids, two BX commando droids covered in blue paint with red suns painted on their torsos, in front of them were two IG-88 assassin droids sitting beside a duros with blue skin wearing a duster and wide brimmed hat, his forearms had gauntlets with a wide variety of weaponry, his gray chaps fed into rocket boots with two blaster pistols around his waist. Across from him sat a weequay man with a red bandanna and sash, a white shirt and blue trousers into boots. His right arm was also mechanical, up front was a light purpled patrolian with one cybernetic eyes. Wearing a green short sleeved shirt and backpack over his shoulders, when they started to near the Senate Tower the senate commandos out site the entrance saw them coming from the landing pad.

"Attention, attention, this is a restricted area no landing is permitted without permission. Violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law." They hangers speakers echoed out as the Senate guards came rushing toward the landing pad they were heading for.

When they landed the duros out of his ship and walked toward them raising his head, he was no ordinary man though "Put up your hands." The Commondo's Captain said pointing at them, he was distinguishable from high plume on his blue helmet and white paints.

"I've got business with the Senate." The duros said "How about you y'all step aside?" He said showing his face, he wore a brace around his neck with tubes. And a set of blood red eyes of a merciless bounty hunter, Cad Bane.

"On your knees, raise your hands, slowly" the captain barked his men taking aim having them out numbered three to one.

"Son, I wouldn't be so hasty if I were you." Bane warned.

The Captain didn't seem to listen or had a malfunctioning helmet because he kept pushing "Cuff him." He ordered his men who moved in and miles away perched on a skyscraper overlooking the Senate Building. Was just as infamous bounty hunter Aurra Sing with a sniper rifle, she wore a red suit without sleeves showing her white skin and head. Brown boots and vest with blasters at her hips. A long high ponytail followed down her back before she squeezed the trigger to fire on the first Commando who got to close. They were knocked off their feet by the blast and the Senate Commando's were completely taken by surprise when the bounty hunters drew their blasters in the confusion and opened fire. Bane moved forward straight at the Captain as the senate commandos ran for cover.

"Where's that coming from?!" The Captain said trying to rally his men, "I see the shooter up in the tower." One commando pointed his arm up to the building Sing was on. When she saw him pointing it made her his next target.

But he was shot, followed by the bounty hunters droids taking out the rest with deadly precision. Bane grabbed the Captain suddenly and snapped his neck like it was a twig. With the platform there's the leader turned to his droids, both BX Commando Units "You get these uniforms on and get this platform clear."

Up in the HQ for the Commondo's, they saw alarms had been tripped and shots fired "Base to platform, what was all that, report?"

"Protesters against the war, we've taken care of them." Bane's BX droids said using an audio box that sounded like a real person taking away the dead commandos helmet.

Seeing they were in the clear, Bane looked at his crew "Finish getting those uniforms on and clear this platform now."

"Everybody else, follow me." Bane ordered the other hunters who walked toward the east side of the Senate Tower. Inside the Tower itself Anakin had been pushed off the desk by Padmé who was looking over her bills and papers as Anakin gazed out the window. At the city skyline at the world outside of the Order and the Senate at the blue sky.

Finally he turned around and he had an idea to make his retreat more enjoyable "Hey I'm supposed to be on a meditative retreat, we should go away together."

"I know a place far from here where no one would recognise us…. Yeah, it would be like we're actually husband and wife, instead of Senator and Jedi." He said walking around her desk and leaning in smiling at her. But his wife was looking down at her papers, when he made the offer along with the nudge of calling her by her secret title "I-I can't, Annie."

He was shocked when she said no then turned away "What do you mean you can't?"

"It's only two weeks, we'll be back before anyone even notices we're gone." He said trying to convince her "I have to bring this bill before the Senate, it's important." She said

"More important than the way you feel about me?" He asked her trying to hit her with a guilt trip along with some winking from his deep blue eyes.

She got up moving away from his flirtiness to try and focus "Not more important, but important, the work I do, the work we both do, is in service to the Republic to protect those who would otherwise be powerless to protect themselves."

Anakin rolled his eyes but knew his wife was right in her belief of democracy and the service to one's people "Of course, but those are ideals, isn't our love more important to you?" He added

"But I-" Padmé tried to come up with another excuse to dismiss him.

Anakin took her hand and turned his wife around "No, no "but"." To me there's nothing more important than the way I feel about you, nothing." He said pulling her close.

Padmé couldn't dare to look him in the eye "Anakin, don't be so-" before she could call him dramatic, Anakin did something that would have Made a younger Obi-Wan smash his head on a brick wall "You don't believe me?" He asked.

"I didn't say-" Padmé tried to stop him but Anakin like most of his endeavors would have done it anyway if she'd stopped him "I'll prove it, just watch."

Anakin reached to his hip and took up his lightsaber "When I finished constructing my lightsaber, Obi-Wan said to me "Anakin, this weapon is your life.

" This weapon is my life." Anakin said before he handed it right into the hands of his wife as if he were giving her his very soul.

"No, Anakin, I can't A Jedi lightsaber is-" Padmé looked down at the blade's hilt it was slightly longer than a usual lightsaber, better to be held with two hands then one for stronger strikes and as she noticed "Wow, it's heavier than I thought? Padmé said testing her weight.

Anakin pressed her fingers around it tight "It's yours, believe me now?" He asked getting close

"If all you want to do is make fun of me, I think you should just go."

"That's not what I want at all." Anakin said kissing her, wishing it was just him and her and nobody else in the galaxy at that one moment "Not at all."

Down below in the lower section of the Senate Tower, Bane and his crew burst into the communications room. A single Senate Guard was there with three droids who all spun to the door "Stop." The Guard yelled pointing his blaster at them but these hardened criminals shot first killing him.

"You know what to do." Bane said letting the shortest member of the crew waddle in rubbing his rings "I'll figure it out." The patrolian said.

Bane didn't care for the whimsical response "You better not fail me, Robonino you bubble brain." He growled.

"Don't worry, I'll have the power out in no time." Robonino said waving off the mad dog from his blaster pistol.

"The rest of you come with me." Bane said.

Elsewhere in the tower, Leo and Ahsoka were still with Senator Ta speaking loudly "As I was saying to the Senator from Plutonian, my dear while the policies may be good the man is a Anarchist HAHAHAHAH." Ta laughted aloud at his own joke spitting out food onto the table, Ahsoka forced a smile and a fake a laugh at his joke while Leo was stunned in amazement at how much a man could eat and laugh at the same time while keeping his mouth and jowls completely open. When Ahsoka reached over to her comm and pressed it a few times to make it beep.

"Oh my the council we better take this, excuse uss Senator- uh Jedi business." Ahsoka said getting up and grabbing Leo by the collar pulling him into the corner of the room.

Ahsoka pulled him close blocking her arm from view of the Senator to whisper to him "We have to get out of here, if I have to hear one more joke I'm going to cut off my ears." Ahsoka said but Leo was still stuck on his face of curious disgust "Leo?" Ahsoka snapped.

"He just kept eating and eating where does it all go?" Leo said glancing back but was pulled back by Leo "Focus we need an escape plan."

Back in Padmé's office, Anakin broke off the kiss much to Padmé's disappointment "What is it?"

"It's… it's nothing?" Anakin said brushing it off "Anakin you break into my office, try to get me to go away for two weeks then suddenly go cold, what's bothering you?" She asked him.

"Its my padawans, Leo and Ahsoka the war is testing them and I wonder if I'm doing a good enough job as a Master?" He said squeezing her hands while she held his lightsaber, he looked at it the symbol or his order then up at her the symbol of his very being.

Padmé smiled to try and comfort him "From what I've seen both of them are lucky to have you, but that's not all is it?"

"Padmé you remember when we left Tatooine and that dark warrior appeared the same one who…" Anakin didn't finish the sentence "The one who killed Qui-Gon Jinn, yes?" She asked knowing where he was going.

"I fear more of his kind, the Sith are after Leo, maybe Ahsoka too." He said looking at the window that showed his own reflection.

"The Sith, but I thought the Count Dooku was the only Sith?" Padmé asked him confused and slightly worried hearing him speak of the Republic's oldest foe and rival sometimes politically. "I fear he's training followers more than just his assassin Ventress and that this war may get worse before it gets-"

The doorbell to her office rang interrupting them "Quick, hide!" Padmé said as the door opened with the gold plated protocol droid CP30 trying to block a tall olive skinned man with black hair and a goatee from baring in thick gray robes with a fur trim on his coat "But Senator Organa, it just wouldn't be-" Threepio tried to get him to stop but he overpowered the droid and barged in.

"The situation cannot be delayed, now stand aside I apologise for my abruptness." Organa said before he could see Anakin dive behind Padmé's desk, and she hid the lightsaber up her sleeve behind her back.

"Oh, Senator Organa, how good to see you what is it?" Padmé asked as Anakin tried to shrink into the shadow of the hallway.

The Senator from Alderaan spoke quickly "Senator Phillo has called a meeting in the lobby before we vote on the Enhanced Privacy Invasion Bill." Organa said reminding Padmé of the bill she was working on so vividly.

She looked back at her desk as if looking at the papers about the bill but actually looking underneath at Anakin who was hidden from view "Right, Privacy Invasion Bill."

"We must hurry if we are to stop the vote." Bail insisted turning around trying to get her to follow "Coming, Senator Amidala?"

"Of course." Padmé said following him, in the lower level Bane was also on the move following a patrol of guards, along with Aurra Sing his droid and the weequay pirate. He watched them go into one of the Senate Guards barracks and got his crew to follow him

"Quietly, guard change happens now." He said walking by the barrack doors before he tossed a thermal detonator in the door behind the guards. When the doors shut one of the guards noticed the ball by its thud on the floor and loud beeping "Here we go, now let's go talk to some Senators. The doors blew open and sent smoke and fire everywhere, out of all of it one of the Guards crawled out of the room looking up at a passing Aurra Sing. "Help me." He begged but Sing just put him out of his misery.

In Ta's own office Leo and Ahsoka were still at the mercy of the The Senators terrible jokes and agonizing stories "But the ballet was magnificent, Chancellor Palpatine and often invites me to enjoy the opera with him you know, they have the most delectable wine in the Galaxy."

Ahsoka kept her forced grin "kill me, please." She whispered.

"You-can-barefoot-it-if-I-can." Leo said between his teeth forcing a smile.

Down in the east wing, Padmé had gathered with a small crowd of Senators "We can not allow the Chancellor to move this Enhanced Privacy Invasion Bill forward." Senator Organa finished speaking to the crowd. We are all in agreement then." Senator Philo said, to the rest of the opposition including t Bail Organa[ Senator of Alderaan, Padmé Amidala Senator of Naboo. The rodian Onaconda Far Senator of Rodia, Riyo Chuchi. Senator of Pantora. As well as Senators Kin Robb, Jakker-Sun, Dantum Roohd, Zinn Paulness all gathered around them when suddenly a blaster shot sounded singalong the alarms.

"What now?" Anakin asked as he was trying to sneak out of the senate without being seen, Ahsoka and Leo jumped out of their seats with Ahsoka sighing in relief as the alarms started to go off from someone shooting a blaster.

Down in the atrium Bane walked out holding his smoking blaster "Morning, Senators, you should all consider yourselves to be in my power, as long as everybody behaves this will be quick and painless do nothing and it will all be over soon."

"I don't know who you think you are, but I for one have no intention of listening to this kind of insolence." Senator Philo snapped at the Bounty Hunter unafraid of the thug with a blaster pointed right at him. Bane smiled seeing at least one of his prisoners had courage, a fools courage even if it was an old one, he admired the backbone so much that when the Senator strode past him leaving to call his bluff. Bane shot him in the back making some of the senators scream in shock.

"All right then, if you all gather at the centre of this lovely atrium my co-workers and I will relieve you of any communication devices." Bane said, everyone did as he said with Organa and Amidalla in the middle of the crowd whispering to one another.

Padmé squeezed Anakins lightsaber in her hand, the only weapon among them "I see five of them here in the room if we-" "What are you going to do? It's not like we carry weapons." Bail said making her tuck the lightsaber away.

Up in Senator Ta's office both Ahsoka and Leo walked to the door and pressed a button trying to get it to open. "We're locked in?" Leo said as Ta started to try and make contact on his desks holotable "Come in, come in this is Senator Ta what is happening?"

He was only given static, before he looked at the Padawans "Thank the force." Ahsoka said in relief that they were free from the senators' stories.

"What?" Ta asked confused at her praise, "I mean thank the force we're here for this to protect you." Ta's face softened into a smile "Ah yes, quickly we must find out what's going on do you think your lightsaber will be able to cut through the door?" He asked.

Leo looked back "Not a problem." He said as both of them went to work, they sliced the door open like it was butter against a knife leaving a smoking embers fueled scar in the wall as they walked out. "Where did everyone go?" Leo asked.

"It must be because the power is out, the building is other evacuated or they are locked in their offices like we were." Ta said cowering behind them his fat fingers clutching his lekku.

Leo looked left and Ahsoka right "Ideas?" Leo asked her, "We should check the security feet on this level, wish Artoo was here we could do it from one of the door controls?" She asked looking up at Senator Ta "Senator, do you have any suggestions you should know this building pretty well?" She asked.

Ta looked shocked to be put on the spot "Me, well I- I." The fat twi'lek began to hyperventilate from the fear running through his veins.

"Senator focus, we'll keep you safe we just need to know what's happened to the power?" Leo said trying to get him to calm down, "Deep breath sir, we're here." Ta listened to him taking a few breaths before he looked around the hallway.

"There is an access panel near the stairs, it runs on a separate power source then the main one, this way young ones." Ta said walking ahead of them, but Ahsoka got in front of him "Maybe best we go first?" She asked.

Ta remembered that the two of them were trained in combat and had the advantage of lightsabers "Ah yes Padawan Tano, ever the strategist like Skywalker."

They followed Ahsoka to the access panel down the hallway, Ahsoka opened it typing in commands to bring up a set of cameras showing Bane surrounding the Senators in the East Wing of the tower. "They don't look like ambassadors to me?" Leo said looking at each bounty hunter taking in their numbers "I see five, could be more in the building?" Ahsoka said.

"Terrorists, by the Moons of Ryloth we must make sure the Chancellor hasn't been taken quick check to see if we can contact anyone outside." Ta snapped looking up at the stairs, Leo and Ahsoka had surprised looks on their faces to see Ta had jumped to that objective so quickly "Its dead, we can't send anything in or out?" Ahsoka said.

"Quickly Padawans to the Chancellor's office, I only fear that we must face one difficult task without the power to the building." Ta said sullenly his voice dripping with dread and regret as if he were about to fight a terrible battle.

Each Padawan smiled at the challenge "Whatever it is we'll face it." Ahsoka said.

"It will be nothing for two Jedi such as yourself, but I walk a different path for I must face, my oldest enemy…. The stairs" the fat twi'lek held up one hand to show how much he was in pain putting the other over his heart which would probably give out due to the exercise he was about to get. The two padawans turned around walking up the stairs using every ounce of their training resisting the urge to laugh at the fat man's predicament.

The two of them climbed Chancellor Palpatine's office level at one of the highest points in the Tower. When they came up to the level the lights and machines were all acting normal. Ta walked up the door opening it "Chancellor Palpatine, it's terrible." Ta said panting hard coming in with Leo and Ahsoka behind him.

The Chancellor was at his desk and got up quickly seeing the two Jedi come in with him. The Chancellor was dressed in a red gown with puffy sleeves "What is it, Senator Orn Free Taa?"

"I think you should see this." Ta said turning on the hologram generator at the center of the Chancellor's office, "Padawans hang out of sight in the back so they don't see you." Senator Ta told them, as the hologram showed Cad Bane "Sorry to bother you, Chancellor, but I've taken control of the east wing of your Senate building, the occupants are now my hostages if you care about them, I'd advise you to free Ziro the Hutt from the detention centre." Bane said down to him and Senator Ta.

"You should know that the Republic does not take kindly to such threats, if you have attempted such a fool-hardy action as to kidnap a Senator, I assure you it will be met with appropriate force." The Chancellor said even being an old man he stood tall against the bounty hunter.

Bane seemed to enjoy that when all of the power suddenly went out except the hologram of Bane, the padawans looked up at the ceilings lights that turned red with some light coming in front of the Chancellor's office. Leo and Ahsoka ran to the door trying to get it to open "He's locked us in." Ahsoka declared.

"I'm in control, I make the rules now" Bane said before he cut the transmission leaving the four of them alone.

"Everyone, help me with this door" The Chancellor said quickly moving to the door trying to pry it open but couldn't.

"It's no use, Chancellor someone's gotten into the central control panel they've triggered the security system." Senator Ta said "The Senate buildings have sealed themselves." He added with both padawans looking at each other while the Chancellor rushed back to his holocommunicator trying to contact the outside world. "This is Chancellor Palpatine, there is an emergency at the Senate Building, Jedi Council, come in." He asked, even Leo and Ahsoka couldn't get a signal out.

Palpatine continued to try and raise anyone he could on the system "Is anyone there?"

"That's no use either, sir they've cut off all communication with the outside." Ta said fearful of the increasing danger they were in.

The Chancellor still didn't look defeated "But inside we have them." He said pointing to Ahsoka and Leo, "At your service excellency." Ahsoka said ready for some excitement from a rather burning day. The Chancellor pressed a finger to his lip thinking "We cannot act too boldly, this bounty hunter his name is Cad Bane I've heard things about him, he is deadly but we can't let this terrorist win."

"What do you suggest sir?" Leo asked him, the Chancellor returned to his desk to sit down and think.

He tapped his fingers together "For now we wait and see what this Hunter has in store i will commence the writing of this Pardon disk incase he threatens to kill one of the Senators?"

Down in the atrium the Bounty Hunters were securing their place in the tower as they disarmed the senators "Hand over your communication devices please, I can't let them search me. Padmé said to Bail in confidence as everyone was giving up their devices.

"What? Why not?" Bail asked her "I have something they must not find." She told him

"What is it?" Senator Organa asked him.

Suddenly Bane caught sight of the two talking and approached Padmé, "Well, hello there little lady." Bane said cupping her cheek squeezing it to make her look at him "And who might you be?"

"I am Padmé Amidala Senator from Naboo and I demand that you release us immediately the Galactic Senate will not treat with terrorists." She said trying to pull away from the brigand.

Bane liked her fire his red eyes reflecting her face in them like the prey of a wolf against a deer "Ain't you awful young and pretty to be a senator?" Padmé tried her best to show no fear but when she saw Anakin sneaking in through the atriums upper level balcony Bane saw her gaze change from him to something far more interesting. Bane spun around seeing the man in the woman's pupils opening fire at Anakin. The Jedi knight reacted quickly running down the halls out of the atrium.

"Skywalker?!" Bane shouted "After him!"

Anakin rushed out of the atrium and ran down the hallway to put as much distance between the bounty hunters and him as possible, taking out his com link he started to try and get a signal on it but only go static "Hello, come in Anyone there this is General Skywalker, Chancellor Palpatine, can you hear me?"

He switched through the signals to another frequency that belonged to the only two other jedi in the entire building "Master Skywalker?" Leo asked to hear him in both his and Ahsoka's communicator.

"Rusty, Snips we've got a situation." Anakin said to them when he heard their voices, he tucked down into another hallway to catch his breath trying to come up with a plan to stop the bad guys and save the day. "We know the senators are hostages, what are you doing here, I thought they sent you on a retreat?" Ahsoka asked him, on the other end of the hologram Anakin went white.

Thoughts of them finding out about his little surprise visit to Padmé made him gulp "Iiiiiiiiiiiii sensed a disturbance in the force as I was leaving."

"Bounty Hunters taking control of the Senate, hostages and the pardoning of a criminal I'd say that's a big disturbance master." Ahsoka said over at Leo who shrugged seeing no issue with it. Both Senator Ta and Chancellor Palpatine hurried over to them listen in.

Ahsoka saw him coming and held up her arm so she could let him speak "My dear boy, I'm glad to know you're there and all right what is going on down there?" He asked.

"They saw me when I was trying to find out more, they've got all the hostages in the east wing atrium, all armed a few droids." Anakin said "They've sealed the entire building nobody can get in or out."

"You have to get to the power control room and turn off the security seal." Senator Ta said once again getting Leo and Ahsoka a bit surprised at how cool he was being after only being afraid a few minutes ago.

Anakin nodded walking into an office when he saw shadows coming from the opposite ends the hallway "I need to hide, someone's coming stay with the chancellor." He cut the link and dove into an empty room hiding behind some furniture. Back in the Chancellor's office the two men and padawans waited for Anakin to respond but when he didn't they started talking among themselves. "What should we do?" Leo asked Ahsoka she looked at him, then at Palpatine and at Ta all of them looking at her.

"I-I um-" "We should get out of here, Padawans can you escort us to the nearest exit?" Senator Ta suggested putting his hand on the Chancellors shoulder, the Chancellor spun around and swatted his hand "I will not allow the Senate Tower to be taken over by a band of scum and villainy, we stay." The Chancellor said turning around to the two padawans.

He looked at Leo then Ahsoka, and smiled with an idea "One of you should go and assist your master in his efforts to defeat this Cad Bane?"

Ahsoka irked at that looking at him "I'm sorry Chancellor, but I think we should stay with you, the last time I went off to help someone in a situation like this, it didn't end so well."

"You were alone that time, now you've got me and I've got you." Leo took her by the shoulder smiling at her. Ahsoka hadn't seen him smile like that since they got back from Ryloth so it warmed her heart to see Leo was starting to feel like his old self.

Palpatine scratched his chin looking at each of them something within the old man had started to churn and think. Something secret and sinister, Leo took his arm away and gazed up at the Senator and Chancellor, "Excellency, Ahsoka and Master Skywalker will be more than a match for the bounty hunters."

"But what about you my dear boy, surely you are the better swordsman you defeated two Sith Acolytes on Ryloth?' Senator Ta said.

The Chancellor cocked a brow intrigued "Really, quite an impressive feat my boy."

Leo saw the men's praise and doubt on Ahsoka bothered her even though she was trying to hide it "I disagree, Ahsoka is stronger than I ever could be I trust her and besides I'm sure the General is fine even without us." Meanwhile down on the lower levels Anaki was in a wrestling match with one of Bane's assassin droids, without his lightsaber Anakin tried to throw it into the wall but the droid charged him even when Anakin picked up the droids gun and swung at it "Why-" swack "Won't-" bang "You-" thwack "Break." He yelled before he used his mechanical gloved arm to rip off the droids head.

Before he could catch his breath the weequay cyborg came around the corner running, he opened fire. At Anakin who had to run away Shahan Alama and when he arrived at the droid he bent down picking up its head "No lightsaber cuts, interesting."

When Shahan Alama returned to Bane, the leader saw they were down a droid "What happened, where's the droid?" Bane asked his crew member.

"The droid's gone, but there's good news the Jedi's unarmed." Shahan Alama said holding up the droids head throwing it to Bane, showing it wasn't broken by a laser swords blade.

"What?" Bane asked "It doesn't look like he has his lightsaber."

Bane smirked seeing they had the advantage "Go, bring him back to me."

Up in the Chancellor's office, Ahsoka was about to slice the door open when the Chancellor held ups his boney hand "Wait my dear, we won't want to alert them to your presence in aiding your Master, take the ventilation system you should be able to fit?"

"Leo should, he's shorter but like he said I'm stronger then him." Ahsoka said getting a slight jab at Leo. He only rolled his eyes before he walked over to the vent and cut it open for you "After you." He cooed before she slid into it and went off to help Anakin.

Speaking off, Skywalker was currently looking for the main power seal room and as he drew near it he saw Robonino coming out of the door. The short aquatic alien froze the second he saw Anakin who gave a whimsical smirk seeing some luck at last.

"Woopsie!" Robonino turned around and tried to get the door to open "Hurry, hurry, hurry." He said before the door opened and he jumped in slamming it in Anakins face.

Back in the atrium, Bane was getting tired of the Chancellors prattling at their peril and shot another round into the air "I've got a call to make." He barked.

He started a transmission to the Chancellor's office, showing Palpatine in front of him and Bane in front of the Chancellor "So here's what you're going to do, first you're going to make a pardon disc, you can give it to your friend there." He said pointing to the hologram of Ta beside the Chancellor.

"Hmm, me?" Ta said surprised he was being drawn into this.

"My ship will come and pick him up and take him to the prison, once Ziro has been released and is handed to me, then your associates will be released." Bane said down to them "Understand?" He asked to make sure the Chancellor heard him.

"Oh, I do but I feel it is my duty to warn you that you will end up paying for this outrage." Palpatine said as Ahsoka climbed through the vents of the Senate tower looking for Anakin.

Unaware Bane shut the transmission off before smiling and tipping his hat "I can live with that."

Down with Anakin he'd been locked out of the power room by the bounty hunter hacker and was now banging on the door "Come on, open the door I won't hurt you."

"Well, well What have we here?" Shahan Alama pirate had found his way to get the drop on Anaki now when he turned around, the Jedi ripped the lightsaber from the hunters grip. But Shahan Alama hit the deck revealing Aurra Sing behind him her blaster trained on Anakin. She shot the pistol out of Skywalkers hands making Anakin swear "Blast it!

Anakin dodged her next shot that hit the door behind him, it opened with Robinho jumping out with a taser and straddling Anakin's back wrestling with him. Sing kept her eye down the scope of her sniper rifle looking for a shot when she thought she had it she took it. Sings laser ripped toward Anakin before Ahsoka burst from the ceiling vent lightsaber in hand deflecting her blast into the wall "Lightsaber, this one has a lightsaber!" Sing yelled.

Shahan Alama and Robonino were startled by the second jedi who deflected each of their shots letting Anakin tear Robonino off his shoulder and into a wall.

"Got you covered Master." Ahsoka said as Anakin raised his arm at the two Jedi, "Run, run now." Shahan Alama said before both of them were hit with a wave of force that sent all three of them. They hit the wall hard with Robonino hitting his soft fish head so hard he went out. Shahan Alama and Sing staggered up before grabbing him and dragging him away in retreat.

Anakin smiled in relief as he saw Ahsoka "What would I do without you Snipes."

"Die probably since I'm so good- hey where's your lightsaber." She asked seeing he was unarmed.

Anakin's smile turned to an embarrassed aghast face "Um well that's a long story but the short one is I gave it to Senator Amidalla because I sensed the danger and… misplaced it."

The Padawan looked at his face then at his waist, lightsaberless and she held hers and raised it to him "...ARE YOU KIDDING ME!" She screamed at him.

"How many times have you said my lightsaber is my life and you just toss it away to a senator like a ring?" Ahsoka asked him, Anakin's blush of embarrassment and some fear made him hold up his arms "Whoa, whoa, whoa this is not the time or place for this snips." He snapped back.

Ahsoka scoffed hard at that "Oh hoho but I'm never forgetting this." She said waving her hand at him "Look just follow me and help me save the day." Anakin

"The great Anakin Skywalker lost his lightsaber… I'm telling Obi-Wan and Leo so if he ever loses his you won't be able to scold him like me." Ahsoka said making Anakin freeze like he was thrown out into the void of space "Don't you dare, by the way where's Leo?" Anakin asked.

"Back with the Chancellor keeping him safe." Ahsoka said as they secured the prisoners putting the min hand cuffs.

"At least one Padawan follows my orders." Anakin said taking the blasters away from the bounty hunters arming himself with something "Don't try to make this about me, you're the one lost your lightsaber." Ahsoka snipped.

Anakin groaned under his breath "...never going to hear the end of this."

"Never." Ahsoka said as Anakin turned back to the door.

Back in the atrium, Sing ran into the room clutching her side as Shahan Alama dropped Robonino on the floor and slapped him awake "What happened?" Bane asked with only his droids to keep the hostages secure.

"Another Jedi, this one armed a Padawan, there may be more?" Sing said to him, Bane grunted squeezing his hand into a fist. He looked at his last IG assassin droid "Get up there and get the pardon disc to the prison, we'll need it." He said to Sing.

"What about you?" She asked him "I'll be fine, the Jedi will come for me and I'll be ready, Robonino set up traps for our new guests." Bane said taking out his blasters.

Up in the the Chancellor's office both Sing and one of her droids were hurrying into the office and banged on the door "Open up, you better have that disc ready." She snapped. Leo drew his lightsaber and got between the Senators and the door "Senator Ta, here is the pardon disc." Palpatine said coming up to the Senator and handing him the disk.

He looked to Leo next "Open the door Padawan." Leo walked to it and turned off his lightsaber opening the door. He starred in his own droid blaster and Sing's pistol and backed away, Senator Ta approached them "Let's go." She hissed.

Ta was shaking with terror "Why do I have to go to jail for this?

"Move it." The droid said grabbing the Senator by his blue robes "Sorry, Senator but everyone has a job to do." The Chancellor said as Leo got between him and the bounty hunters, drawing his lightsaber. Sing grabbed Ta by his neck and used him as a shield "Don't try anything Jedi, hurry up. They waited till the door shut and Leo lowered his sword turning it off "Should I try to contact General Skywalker?" Leo asked him. Palpatine

The old man watched him with cold calculating eyes "You should sit down my dear boy, all we can do is wait till we receive word from Anakin and your fellow Padawan." Palpatine said, turning around.

Leo was looking at the door sensing the bounty hunters moving away, but Palpatine's inaction forced him to turn around "We can't just do nothing excellency?"

"We aren't, we are watching, waiting examining the situation?" Palpatine told him walking up to the large window overlooking the Republic "But, shouldn't we change the situation?" He asked following him.

The Chancellor shrugged made no motion save looking out at the city "We will once we know more but we must keep our heads cool in a crisis, come look out this window."

Leo wasn't sure what this would do other then stall time they could better use but he obeyed "What do you see?" The Chancellor asked him.

The Padawan knitted his brow "Coruscant."

"I see the Republic, I see thousands of worlds and infinite people looking to us to guide them and do what's best." The Chancellor asked "Are you familiar with the Enhanced Privacy Invasion Bill?" Leo asked.

Palpatine chuckled "I should say so, I proposed it."

"Why?" Leo asked him "We must know what our people know to better serve them, much of the time they do not know what is best for them." The Chancellor said.

"The people of Ryloth would disagree?" Leo said suddenly, the leader of the senate turned around to look at him a bit miffed at the opinion "Forgive my impertinence Chancellor, I spent time fighting with Syndulla's soldiers they didn't care for the Republic as you do."

The Chancellor seemed intrigued turning closer to him "Do tell?"

"Chancellor, I'm not a politician I'm just a jedi." Leo stammered, the Chancellor then burst into laughter "Hahahaha Never have I ever met 'just a jedi' ah my dear boy, you are so much more than just a jedi?"

"I have read the reports of your deeds on Ryloth, tell me more of these Dark Acolytes, what do you make of them?" He asked walking over to his desk and sitting across from them waiting for him to start his Tory.

The Chancellor saw the boy was keeping his defenses up, he avoided them and gaze something inside him was ripping at his seams. But the red kyber crystal wasn't with him, there was a shadow cast over him but he wasn't sure where the bounty hunters were, was there another danger couldn't see something like he felt with the Twins and with Tol Skorr. "At ease my child, I am no Jedi Master to pass judgement on you just a humble old man, looking to hear about a tale of youthful adventure."

The padawans head shot to him "It wasn't an adventure your excellency." Leo said abruptly.

"The People of Ryloth were abandoned, the Republic never even sent a ship to protect them they went to the Separatists to surrender and were slaughtered, the Separatists ransacked their homes destroying everything and taking what little they had." Leo said his voice rising "You want to hear about the Dark Acolytes, well I killed them both of them I stabbed one in the back of the head and through the other off the top of the city towers so…." Leo realized how he was speaking, his anger had taken control of his tongue to the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic sitting before him.

He swallowed his next words before they could escape his mouth and stood up straight bowing "Supreme Chancellor, please forgive my insolence I should never have spoken to you that way I beg for your pardon."

The Chancellor sat up holding out his hand "No, no, it I who must as for your pardon, it was wrong of me to ask you about the war it must surely be wearing on you."

"No, not at all I'm- proud of it in fact." Leo said looking out at the city "Proud, an unusual word for a jedi?" The chancellor snickered

"Maybe not just a jedi?" Leo said seeing the smile that put him at ease "I'm proud that I was able to defeat those Sith, I'm proud that I was given to Master Skywalker to learn with Ahsoka."

The Chancellor smiled "Does the council see it that way?"

"I think so?" Leo said "They did send us to speak with Senator Ta though he said no other jedi accepted his invitation but us?" Leo shrugged.

The Chancellor shrugged "Ah yes, Senator Ta has a bit of a tendency to ramble, but he is a good person at heart."

Leo reached up to his pocket trying to squeeze the crustal but he'd forgotten it wasn't there "I wonder if I am?" Leo whispered

"Why would you say something like that?" The Chancellor asked leaning forward "I killed those men."

"Men, you mean the separatists Dark Acolytes?" Chancellor Palpatine asked him to cook his head, Leo nodded "I know Karoc and Vinoc were killers but they were still people they were still alive, not droids people and as Jedi were are taught to value life- all life." Leo explained to him.

The Chancellor was quiet, sitting still like a statue examining the boy before him taking the full measure of him "And what of the bounty hunters, would you kill them to save the lives of the Senators?"

Leo opened his mouth but couldn't answer "I don't know your excellency I-" Leo's wrist communicator beeped against his skin from the lower levels, "Leo come in how's the Chancellor?"

"I'm alright my boy what's your situation?" Palpatine said from his hair, Leo brought the communicator closer to him.

Back in the Senate Towers power conduit system, Ahsoka had sliced through the door for Anakin and her to get in "We've made it to the buildings power system but the bounty hunters have totaled it." The interior of the room that had droids and the dead senate commando on the floor was a mess. Robonino had torn off panels and ripped out wires leaving it to spark and smoke up the room.

"We have no way of rerouting the power to reactivate the buildings system." Anakin said back to Leo and the Chancellor.

"What's the plan then General, they've already taken Senator Ta to go breakout Ziro the Hutt?" Leo asked him, Anakin looked at Ahsoka next to him

Anakin's face got wide "That slug, must have known."

"Wait the Hutt who tried to kill Senator Amidalla a while back?" Ahsoka asked "The same, Leo I want you to stay with the Chancellor, Ahsoka and I will deal with the bounty hunters." Anakin said, Leo's face fell when he heard he was going to be left out a look the Chancellor was sure to remember.

Across the city, Senator Ta was thrown into a Republic airship by the Bounty Hunters and driven across the skyscraper. Toward one of the largest and most well protected prisons in the core worlds. The Prison dwarfed many skyscrapers and buildings around it. The platform was secured by clone troopers with white armor covered in red marks of the Coruscant Guard, when Orn Free Ta landed with Aurra Sing and her IG unit standing behind him blasters still pointed at them.

"Give him the pardon." Sing hissed at Ta who handed it to a clone trooper wearing more marks sowing he was of a higher rank. He took the disc and walked back to the main doors of the prison platform "Unlock the doors." The clone said.

They woodshed open with the fat slug of a Hutt Ziro, his purple skin was pale at the underbelly with a yellow lizard tattoo running down his wrinkly back. "Oh, it's so bright out here! Why couldn't they do this at night when it's cooler?" He moaned slinking up to Ta and his liberators

Sing saw him coming and pressed a button on her wrist alerting Bane back at the senate, he turned one of his two remaining battle droids "Go and get the parting gifts." He ordered.

Back at the prison, Ziro had made his way up to Ta who looked terrified at the sight of the narrow eyed hutt "Oh, look at Senator Orn Free Taa, he looks so unhappy." The Ziro chuckled before the clones and the bounty hunters exchanged prisoners, Ta scrambled behind the clone trooper.

"Now get me as far away from Coruscant as possible, now!" Ziro said heading toward the airship, Sing and her droid got into the airship after Ziro with .

"We are to rendezvous back at the Senate building." One of the droids said as the singer kept her blaster pointed on the clones "What?! No, no, no, no! The Outer Rim, not the Senate, you stupid machine! I don't want to go to the Senate!" Ziro shouted across the clouds with Sing rolling her eyes.

Meanwhile in the Senate, Anakin and Ahsoka were sneaking around the Atrium entrances seeing two droids at one entrance with Shahan Alama and Robonino guarded by one each, at the other end as Bane signaled the Chancellor's office. "Well, Mr Chancellor, thanks to your calm leadership, the crisis has passed though using Jedi against me wasn't very wise."

Bane said suddenly grabbing Padmé by the collar and pulled her in front of the camera "I got what I want, so I'll return your Senate and your Senators but I won't be letting your jedi pets get the drop on me." He said putting a blaster at the back of her head.

Up in the higher levels around the atrium Ahsoka and Anakin had found an unguarded balcony and looked down to see what was happening. Anakin squeezed the balcony edge seeing the dog threaten his wife, with a blaster, it made his blood boil. "I know you can contact them Senator, tell them to come out, I don't want ot hurt the little lady but I will."

Anakin looked at Snips "What do we do Master?"

"Give me your lightsaber." Ahsoka didn't wait to hand it to him "I go over and then you, use the force to cut a path away from the Bounty Hunters to get the Senators to safety." Anakin said "Ready?" He asked her.

She nodded "Ready."

Before the Chancellor could call them off, the two Jedi jumped out over the balcony Anakin turned on Ahsoka's green lightsaber and used the force to blast Cade Bane away from Padmé "Skywalker!" Bane yelled shooting at him, he deflected it landing between him and the bounty hunters.

Ahsoka followed down after him as Robinho and his battle droid ran in with Shahan Alama and his droid coming up behind bane to shoot. But Anakin's skill with the lightsaber was too great , catching all three of their shooting, behind the Senators who were facing Robonino and the battle droid, Ahsoka dropped down between them and summoned up her force to push both of the threats aside "This way, run!" Ahsoka yelled to the doorway.

Bane holstered his blasters when they saw they weren't getting past Anakin and held up his wrist gauntlet, he raised his right arm and a wave of fire shot out showing he was armed with a flamethrower. Spraying it left and right at Anakin who backed up covering the senators escape "Annie." Padmé called out in the confusion throwing out his lightsaber. Anakin caught it but saw the fire coming his way he hurried to her helping her get to the other senators as they escaped. Ahsoka looked at Robonino who wasn't shooting at them but scurrying to the other bounty hunters, she looked at the exit the senators were heading to and saw a set of traps on the walls "STOP!" Ahsoka yelled as Bane pressed a button on his wrist.

Suddenly a dozen red lasers appeared surrounding the Senators and Jedi at the opposite door and from the pillars holding up the entire atrium.

"It's a trap." Senator Organa said seeing the lasers, Ahsoka ran up to her master who tossed her rightful lightsaber to the girls hands "Good eye snips." Anakin said as they faced the bounty hunters behind the lasers. They were all snickering and laughing "Well a valiant effort Master Jedi, I give you full marks partner." Bane said hands on his hips.

Anakin snarled at him "Laugh all you want Bounty Hunter." Bane said as he raised his gauntlet "I told you don't try anything Chancellor that'll cost you, If any of you so much as breathe on one of these lasers, the whole room will blow up ." Bane said up to the Chancellor and Leo who saw that Ahsoka and Anakin were taken prisoner.

"Understand?" Bane asked everyone "Now as for you Jedi, I think I'm due some insurance you don't try anything." Bane said taking out his blaster.

Anakin and his Padawan got ready to deflect the shot "Now I know I can't shoot either of you Jedi but you won't be able to stop me from shooting one of these fine Senators." Cade Bane said looking at Padmé "So if you'd be so kind Skywalker, use your Jedi magic to hand over the little lady from the lasers." He said gesturing to Padmé.

"No deal." Anakin said as Senator Organa stepped forward "If you want someone to be a hostage take me bounty hunter." Senator Organa called across the lasers.

"Nah, no hard feelings but I got a thing for the ladies, Jedi?" Anakin looked to Padmé and at Organa, but Padmé stepped forward "I won't let anyone die for me, please Master Jedi do as he says." Padmé said reaching for his hand and taking it before she faced the Bounty hunters. Anakin and Ahsoka kept their lightsabers out and slowly raised Padmé up over the lasers like she was weightless before she was dropped in front of Cade Bane. She landed on her feet for the hunter to grab her by the arm much to Anakin's fury.

"We need to get to the landing platform, is everything ready?" Bane asked Robonino.

"Yep, yep." The patrolian said looking at a holopad that controlled the bombs, exchanging acknowledging glances the two jedi made sure to remember the patrolian had control of the bombs too.

"Senators, Jedi, I bid you all the most respectful farewell, let's go." Bane said walking toward the exit with Padmé.

Up in the office, Leo was pacing again left and right "So what do we do now If I go near him he'll blow the room?" Leo asked the Chancellor.

"We must wait for Senator Ta to send aid then we can make our next move." The Chancellor said as Leo noticed Republic Gunships fly past the senate tower, "I think the senator came through your excellency?" The window to the Chancellor's office suddenly shattered open by two squadrons of clone troopers dropping down from ropes outside "All clear!" The lead clone shouted behind his helmet running up to the Chancellor who was sitting at his desk "Sir, are you all right?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." The Chancellor said as Leo sighed in relief putting away his lightsaber and looking at the clone who was in communication with someone "Mission accomplished, sir, the Chancellor is safe."

Both Leo and the Chancellor heard the gurgling voice of Senator Ta from the clone's helmet "Well done, trooper you see my child now we can stop that Bounty Hunter in his tracks, Captain have your men secured the landing pad?" Chancellor Palpatine asked.

"Yes my lord, they'll cut off the Bounty Hunters any second." The Captain told them.

As Bane was walking out of the senate tower, Sing and Ziro pulled up to take him away when suddenly a squad of clones appeared out from behind cover to cut him off. The Bounty Hunter reached for his blasters but didn't draw when a hologram of the Chancellor with clones behind him appeared "You were foolish to think you could get away with this, bounty hunter? Now lay down your arms and come quietly." He ordered.

Bane smiled confidently standing up raising his wrist controlling the bombs "No, Chancellor."

"I am afraid it is you who have been foolish with your Senators' lives; one false move and the east wing of the Senate Building goes up in smoke care to testify to that little lady." Bane said calling the Chancellor on his boldest move of the day pushing Padmé between him and the clones to show he had a hostage. The Chancellor looked aghast at such a vulgar tactic.

"My dear Senator Amidalla are you alright?" The Chancellor asked "I'm fine and the bounty hunter isn't bluffing." Padmé said.

Bane grinned with a low hum "I knew you'd warm up to me."

The Chancellor looked at Bane and saw the bounty hunters face unflinching in the face of death or winning, "You win, bounty hunter." The Chancellor said raising his hand to signal the Coruscant Guard surrounding bane to back off, Leo's eyes got wide seeing Bane walk past the clones from the office his hands curling into fists.

The clone commander outside the tower who kept Bane from his freedom regretfully but dutifully said "Stand down." All his men backed off with Bane tipping his hat to them and walking toward the speeder. Inside the east wing atrium Anakin and Ahsoka were looking at the lasers "So how are we going out of this one Master?" Ahsoka asked looking at the lasers and how close they were to them.

"The bounty hunter said we should just sit here, I think we should just sit here." One of the senators suggested, Anakin casually looked back at him then at the door "Well, that's not a very good idea." He said looking at the bombs surrounding them.

Ahsoka looked too "These lasers are movement activated so we can't get out around them, do you think we'd have time to move everyone out of the lasers with the force like we did for Senator Amidalla?" Ahsoka asked when Anakin noticed the bombs were all blinking in unison.

"No time, these bombs are on a count down see the blinking lights?" He said pointing it out to her.

"Can't go over them or around them, guess we go under?" Anakin said looking at the floor "huh?" Ahsoka asked him.

"We use our lightsabers to cut through the floor, its thick so we'll have to work fast." Anakin said, Ahsoka made her way to the other side of the senators "Everyone scoot close together the smaller we are the faster we get out of this mess." Anakin ordered the Senators, the crowd huddled together with both Jedi starting to cut into the atriums floor dragging their lightsabers into a circle.

Elsewhere Bane and his crew were flying off into the city where the republic wouldn't be able to follow "Well, Hutt, it doesn't look like prison had too adverse an effect on you." Bane said propping up his feet and cupping the back of his head at a clean getaway or so he thought.

Back in the Senate Tower Leo's comlink beeped again "Leo come in, the bounty hunters have rigged the atrium to explode Ahsoka and I are working on getting the Senators out how's the Chancellor?"

"Secured Master the Coruscant Guard has arrived, but Bane threatened to blow up the east wing if we didn't let him escape." Leo replied as he heard Anakin cutting through the floor "Blast it, they took Senator Amidalla hostage we can't let them get away with this." Anakin said.

The Chancellor overhead the conversation "And they won't I assure you but how can we go after them without us knowing, they'd sure to recognize a Republic ship?"

"Taken care of." Anakin said, behind the Clones, Chancellor and Leo, Anakin's private ship the Twilight flew down with its long wing turned toward the window like a bridge at the controls was Anakin's faithful droid companion, R2-D2. The droid signaled to all the jedi that it was ready and waiting for them.

"Leo your up, get after them." Anakin ordered him, Leo looked up to the only person who outranked Anakin in the room, the Supreme Chancellor who looked deeply into the boys eyes and saw the fire simply needed a spark to ignite within him "Hunt them down." The Chancellor said in a voice that sounded somewhat different but all Leo heard was the order.

He jumped out of the window and onto the wing grabbing onto firmly and getting low "No time to get onboard Artoo, after them." Leo told the droid who took off into the city.

The clones and Chancellor watched him fly off, with a glint in his eye the old man put his hands on his hips watching him shrink into the distance "This has been the most auspicious day."

With a strong lead on them, the Bounty Hunters started to relax with Ziro. safely in their care just not his loud mouth "Ooh, you can't imagine the unspeakable things I've suffered! The horror! I doubt I'll ever really recover!" Ziro the Hutt wailed dramatically. Bane raised his wrist up and showed him the detonator smiling.

Ziro smiled with his tongue sticking out "Congratulations on a job well done, bounty hunter and a bonus for bringing me Senator Amidalla."

Bane lowered his arm and his grin "Time to pay up, Hutt. I don't work for free as for the Senator I think I'll keep her." He said brushing her cheek, Padmé pulled away in disgust but Bane grabbed her cheek before Ziro spoke again.

"Ah-ah-ah bounty hunter, once I'm safe off world you will."

Bane growled under his breath but new Ziro was worth more alive then dead "How about some dead Senators as pay back?" He asked.

"But you said they wouldn't come to harm!" Padmé yelled from her handcuffed spot across Bane.

High above in the clouds, Leo and Artoo were in pursuit the wind brushed through the boy red hair and smacked at his robes shaking through the high altitudes. He looked down to see the airship flying between traffic. "I see them" Leo said into the communicator to the inside of the ship, Artoo heard him and asked if he was sure.

"Unless there are any other sky cabs that have a giant purple slug in it, I'm pretty sure." Leo said seeing Padmé was with them, he held up his wrist still holding on to the wing with one arm "General, we're in pursuit I'm going to maintain my distance to see where they go"

He looked back at the Senate tower waiting for a response "Great work Leo, Ahsoka I should be out of this-" Anakin was cut off by a sudden interrupting followed by the east side of the Senate tower exploding from the inside out.

"NO!" Padmé screamed from the air ship seeing the fires in the distance and smoke starting to rise. Ziro the Hutt let out a maniacal laughter at the sight of the explosion and Padmé's scream "HEHEHEHE aaah how does it feel Senator to be the one who lost this time."

The Bounty Hunters all smiled "Now get us to the ship." Bane said tucking his hat down about to take a nap it looked like.

"You're a monster." Padmé spat at him "Just one when the money's right little lady."

They flew on when Aurra Sing's ears perked up "Do any of you hear that?" She asked.

"Hear what?" Robonino asked "Like… something's heading right for us?" Sing asked, looking up to see Leo had leapt from the safety of the Twilight and had flown in a free fall straight at the airship. When they saw him he tore out his lightsaber in reaction the Sing opened fire at him with her pistols, he deflected the first shot but he was moving so fast compared to the blaster the second knocked him in the side throwing his trajectory off course. He flew over and was able to grab on the front hood and climbed up the lightsaber in hand before falling off "Murderers!"

Now it was Ziro's time to scream "Shoot it, shoot it, shoot it!"

Leo didn't waste a moment leaving the IG droid to keep the ship steady he moved on the bounty hunters. Shahan Alama and Robonino were the first in his way shooting at him from their seats, Leo deflected the first shots from them and cut off Shahan's cybernetic arm, in the chaos of deflecting the shots one oft them hit the IG unit driving the speeder in the back of the head.

"Get the wheel!" Bane yelled grabbing Padmé to use her as a shield, Sing climbed over the seats to grab the wheel as they started to fly out of control. Leo stumbled falling into the seat between Shahan and Robonino who were almost flung from the air ship when Sing got it steady both bounty hunters tried to kill Leo before he could cause anymore damage. Sing on the other hand had to deal with the falling air ship heading right into oncoming traffic, she had to swerve in every direction not try and get hit, all the while Ziro the hutt was shrieking like a banshee.

Taking out a knife from his tunic, the one armed Shahan tried to stab Leo, but the padawan kicked his good arm away and drove his lightsaber into Alma's ches "Graaah!"

Robonino ripped out his taser and drove it into Leo electrocuting him "Die, die, die, die stupid jedi!" Leo howled from the electric shock, "Stop it." Padmé said struggling to get free from Bane but he squeezed his arm around her pretty little neck ready to snap it like a twig.

"Stupid kid shouldn't have gotten invovled, now he's gonna and learn and so will you." Bane said as Robonino turned up the level on his taser but that just made Leo stop yelling and look right at the patrolian. Leo's free hand grabbed Robonino by the face to electrocute the hacker. The current from the taser traveling through Leo back into the owners own body.

Fighting the pain, but still yelling from it Roboino dropped the taser both their bodies smoking. Panting hard Leo found the Patrolian was still able to move, even though a hacker the small Robonino pounced on him throwing his hands around Leo's neck trying to choke the life out of him. Leo drew back his fist as he was choked and clocked Robonino in the soft fish jaw making the bounty hunter's fins loosen. With the upper hand Leo pushed Robonino back on the edge of the speeders interior and started to pummel the man in the face smashing into his cybernetic eye to shatter it in his skull. Bane and Padmé watch Leo drive his fist rapidly into Robonino's face pressing the metal eye deeper into his skull, purple blood squirting out onto Leo's face followed by the aquatic aliens skull cracking from the continuous blows till they all heard a loud crunch from Robonino's skull getting caved in.

Leo turned his rage toward Bane who drew his blaster "Not so fast." Leo drew his lightsaber not turning it on pointing it to the back of Sing's head as she started to level out.

"What are you doing shoot him, shoot him, shoot him." Ziro squealed "Shut up you slag of slug filth." Bane growled at Ziro keeping his eyes on Leo.

"Nice try kid, you almost had me you got a lot of fury like myself when I was our age, but you make one move and the little lady dies like the others, savvy." Bane said ready to gamble again but he'd never faced a player like Leo.

Who did the strangest thing then, the boy smiled "You think I care?" He scoffed licking some of Robonino's blood off his lip.

"What?" Bane asked shocked "I'm afraid I have to agree with the Bounty Hunter, what?" Padmé asked too.

"You just killed the only two people alive who gave a damn about me, so if I'm gonna die today I'll be taking you with me sleemo." Leo moved is thumb closer to turning on his lightsaber that skewer Aurra Sing through the head "You ever smelled what it's like when a lightsaber goes through a persons head, the smell of brains and skull, blood being incinerated to its last-atom; you don't forget that smell, ever." Leo said locking eyes with the merciless Cad Bane.

Bane glared at him under his hat, the bounty hunters red eyes locked with Leo's green ones before Bane's jagged teeth cracked a smile "Finally…. someone with a backbone, tell you what kid I'll give you the Senator and in exchange you let us go."

"But I keep the Hutt." Bane said making Leo think it over he never took his eyes of Bane and when Sing started to reach for her blaster she felt Leo press the emitter of his lightsaber at the back of her skull making her return her hand to the wheel.

Leo held out his other hand open palmed at, "Deal."

Bane let go of Padmé slowly letting her grab onto Leo's hand the second she was between Bane and Leo, the padawan sensed the danger. Bane shoved Padme over the side to fall to her death, "Bastard." Leo yelled jumping down after her "Get us out of here." Bane snapped to Sing, she dude a hard turn and darted down towards the undercity.

Padmé screamed falling between the buildings and speeders as Leo tried to quicken his fall after her, closing his arms and legs close "Artoo I need a pick, and make it fast!"

The Twilight went into a full dive straight toward the surface of Coruscant, turning on its engines to increase the speed to follow Leo, who was following Padmé. She saw him coming and reached out for him, Leo grabbed on to her hand "I got you, I got you." The two of them falling caught the people of the upper city by surprise making them all scream and yell at the two falling people and the oncoming Twilight that'll poked like it would crash into the city streets.

"But who's got you?" She asked when the Twilight swooped down past them and pulled up, Leo used the force to brace their fall onto the outer wing that caught them just in time for Artoo to pull up before they could have caused another catastrophe. Artoo pulled them up out of the air traffic and back towards the Senate, still panting hard from her fall Padmé looked over at Leo who was looking at the column of smoke now a hundred feet high getting closer and closer to them.

She looked at to the hat the boy who looked like stone he was so still "Thank you Leo, I know that Anakin would be-" "Leo come in, Leo Rock come in do you read me?" Anakin's voice coming out of Leo's communicator took both of them by surprise "Annie your alive." Padme said with glee using his nickname

Back at the Senate, or more specifically the Senate's east wing basement Anakin and Ahsoka were covered in dust helping the Senators back to their feet from the blast. Both of them had escaped with all the senators in one piece more or less "Well I'm pushing my luck but yeah I'm alive, what about you to." Anakin said.

"We're fine but-" Leo's smile fell short realizing he'd have to tell Anakin the whole truth "But Bane and Ziro escaped sir."

Anakin immediately responded "Who cares about some Bounty Hunter and a Hutt, you two are alive and you saved the Senator now get back here."

His words and the warmth they carried brought back the boys smile "Yes sir."

They cut the communication and soared closer to the Senate Tower at every second the sunset shining down on them "Anakin sure is lucky to have padawans like you and Ahsoka." Padme said to him as she sat there "I guess so by the way, what's that Annie all about?" Leo asked, Padme's face turned redder, also hotter than a Sith Lords lightsaber hearing the boy say that.

He wouldn't get an answer as they descended to the Senate Platform with the Chancellor and clone troopers waiting. Coming out of the east wing to greet them were also Anakin and the surviving senators, Anakin rushed up to the Chancellors side with Ahsoka behind him "Did the boy apprehend the Bounty Hunter, Ziro?" The Chancellor asked.

"I'm afraid not your excellency but he did rescue the Senator Amidalla as you see." Anakin said proud to take away some victory, even a small one. But for him it was more than that, Leo got off the wing and took Padme's hand to help her down. When the Senators saw Leo covered in Robonino's blood they all had wide eyes and mixed emotions. Ahsoka on the other hand moaning next toAnakin "Why is it whenever he comes back he's always covered in blood?" She asked.

"Just be glad it's not his this time Snips." Anakin whispered back as they all approached her. "Another daring rescue, Master Jedi and your faithful padawans." Padmé said "We do our best, Senator." Anakin said, smiling at her. The Chancellor then spoke "Senators, I think we all owe an immeasurable debt of gratitude to these fine Jedi, the great Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and to future Knights Ahsoka Tano and Leo Rock." The chancellor said staring to clap, the other senators followed suit even Padme was applauding them too.

Anakin and his padawans basked in the praise for as long as they could before the crowd dispersed, later Padmé and Anakin exchanged a few words before she saw the Senators leaving "I have to go, the vote's being called soon."

"Even after all that you're still going to vote?" Ahsoka asked as Leo was behind them getting tended to by the medics.

"The Chancellor wanted to postpone it, but this is important wish me luck Ahsoka." Padmé said turning around and heading over to the other senators.

Ahsoka watched in awe as the average woman without the force was still so eager to fight for what she believed in "That Senator Amidalla is really something?"

Anakin smiled too but not about that "Oh yeah." He said,

"You feeling alright Skyguy, you hit your head when we fell through the floor didn't you?" She asked, Anakin only rolled his eyes turning around "Go check on Rusty, leave the council to me they'll probably want to know what happened and why I didn't go on my retreat." Anakin said strolling toward the parked Twilight.

"I guess we'll catch a ride back to the Temple ourselves then?" Ahsoka asked him.

Anakin shrugged "I'll come get you if they don't send me away in a brig this time." Anakin said boarding the ship. She on the other hand walked up to the clone medic treating Leo's latest wound, the blaster scar from Aurra Sing's marksmanship, he was sitting on a crate as the medic wrapped up his arm when she hopped up next to him.

"Why is it you always let this happen to you?" She asked him.

The medic finished up then leaving them alone "Let what happen to me?" He asked taking some of the medics bandages he left behind to wipe some of the blood away.

Ahsoka proceeded to slap Leo across the backside of the head "Ow what was that for?"

"That, always letting yourself take the hardest hits when you don't have to Leo, you always act like you have to be the one to do it you have to carry the burden?" She asked him, Leo looked down at the floor of the platform before he took her hand into his own "Ahsoka?"

"Yeah Rusty?" She asked, watching him lean his head up against the wall the crate was next to, he looked up at the sky that was a mix of colors from the sun setting and the night shroud covering the other end of the sky, "I'm really tired."

Ahsoka curled her fingers into his and rested her head against his both of them propping themselves up against the wall "Me to Leo, I think we need a vacation more than Skyguy."

"A vacation would be nice." Leo said.

**SERENNO,**

_The Palace of Count Dooku_

The leader of the Separatist Cause stood looking out his green tinted window hands behind his back, Tol Skorr and a small number of shadowed figures stood behind him just out of the light, up beside his desk stood his right hand Asajj Ventress his personal apprentice who glared down at Tol Skorr and the other Dark Acolytes "It is a shame that Karoc and Vinoc were not up to the task in destroying this Padawan, how do you defend this failure Tol Skorr?" He asked as the other shadowed figures looked to the only one standing in the light would react.

"Not as a failure my lord, Karoc and Vinoc were weak unworthy to be part of the Dark Acolytes, we would have needed to cull them eventually." Tol Skorr said approaching him.

Dooku turned around making Tol stop in his tracks and Ventress smile at his discomfort "We will need to redouble our efforts to recruit more padawans to our cause, as our powers in the darkness grows so does the determination of the Jedi." Count Dooku said as his desks personal line started to blink showing he was being summoned.

"Now all of you leave me." Dooku ordered, the Dark Acolytes all bowed but Ventress stayed "You as well Asajj. Ventress was surprised she was being dismissed but bowed obedient to his wish.

Ventress followed Tol Skorr out of the palaces courtroom and into the hallways of the palace "Even if you are his apprentice, you will never be his equal Asajj." Tol Skorr said outside the doorway, he was the only one who had remained to wait for her.

"That still makes me more than you Tol." Asajj said walking away, meanwhile Tol Skorr smiled and to himself whispered "For now."

Back in Dooku's chambers, the Sith Lord knelt before his tables holo emitter to reveal a cloaked figure in a long robe hiding his face under a hood. "Darth Sidious, how may I be of service."

"A sudden predicament has led me to look into your… activities with these Dark Acolytes?" Sidious asked him.

Dooku was slow to respond "If we are to fool the Jedi long enough to destroy them we must stoke the fears of a return of the Sith on a larger scale my Master."

"The Rule of Two states there is but a Master and an apprentice, yet you insist on pursuing recruitment to these Acolytes?" Darth Sidious I queried, Dooku nodded.

"Indeed, if we turn the order against itself they will be easier for you to destroy." Dooku explained, the Dark Lord scratched his chin "We shall see my old friend, we shall see."

**Alright thats the latest chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. Now I know Holocron heist is next, but I was thinking of making good on that other chapter. **

**SO, next chapter will not be Holocron Heist but rather THE GREAT SKYWALKER FAMILY VACATION.**

**Got an idea for it, DM me or drop a review, should they go to a beach, a carnival, an amusement park? Will Ahsoka blab about her Master losing his lightsaber, will Leo get the rest he wants, will Anakin ever get some from Padme find out next time. **


	12. A Skywalker Vacation

**Chapter 12**

_**Intergalactic Skywalker Vacation **_

Ahsoka awoke from her sleep wide awake early in the morning, the light coming in from her dorm blinds was dim and coming from Coruscants skyline. Rising from her sleeping mat she rubbed her eyes getting her bar rings. She looked at her door and stood up and walked over to her lightsaber heading to it. She opened the door and walked down the hallways of the girls padawan dormitory with nobody else awake except her. Taking a left and up a small flight of stairs she opened a door into the Padawan Dormitory main hallway with the boys across from her. Poking her head out to make sure no Temple Guards were on duty she walked over to the boys door and opened it, she followed her senses down to a single door looking at the name on the plate next to it, Rock, Leo.

She knocked on it "Leo?" she asked tapping it.

Inside was another matter, Leo was tossing and turning in his sleep his covers on the floor, sweating from a terrible nightmare.

_Inside Leo's mind he was running through eternal darkness before he arrived across a battlefield, dead clones mixed with busted battle droids were scattered and tangled together over tanks and burning star ships. Leo tripped over a body of a dead clone rotting inside the armor. _

"_Gra!" Leo yelled scooting back up to a fallen tank when he heard something, he was breathing hard panting in terror when he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. "Easy Jedi." Leo looked up to the hand to see Kasel standing over him, his green eyes got wide "K-Kasel?" Leo asked. _

_She knelt down "It's okay Leo, you're safe." she said brushing a hand through his hair "Kasel I-" before he could finish Kasel gagged, she was lifted in the air by an invisible power, she grabbed at her throat before he neck snapped "Kasel!" Leo screamed seeing her hit the ground dead before his eyes followed by a terrible laughter terrible infamous laughter, he got up and turned around looking around for who was laughing, but not who, whom. _

_Tol Skorr, Vinoc and Karoc were in front of him over the fallen tank, looking at each of them they all took out red lightsabers "Puny Jedi, you are the reason for all this death." Tol Skorr said. _

"_You could not stop us boy." Karoc said getting off the tank walking toward him like the others_

_Vinoc and Tol Skorr got closer too "Why fight the darkness within you, join us." _

"_N-no I'm a jedi." Leo said horsley backing up "A jedi?" a new voice said. _

_Leo looked up to see Count Dooku standing over him on a tall pedestal high above him ancient statues of sith and jedi surrounded him showing the saga of the battle between light and dark, good and evil. "You are no Jedi, you have anger, your hatred is strong, these are not the qualities of a Jedi but of a true Sith." Dooku said reaching under his cloak and drawing his lightsaber the Acolytes drew their own lightsabers and attacked. _

_The boy reached for his lightsaber but found it was nowhere to be seen "No." he gasped before he jumped out of the way. _

_The Sith chased after him swinging and slicing at the boy, but Leo dodged and evaded their swords as best as he could "You are afraid boy, I can sense your fear." Leo said as Leo flipped over his sword and dodging Vinoc's sword jumping over Karocs to evade them. _

"_Fear is the path to the dark side." Vinoc said trying to impale Leo but he stepped to the left._

_His brother Karoc swung overhead down on Leo, he leaned back catching himself on one hand before he used his hand to backflip away as Karoc said "Fear leads to anger."_

"_Anger leads to hate." Tol Skorr appeared delivering a kick into Leo's gut punching him and knocking him to the ground. _

"_Hate…" a new voice, a woman's Leo coughing, looked across the dark field of death to see Asajj Ventress standing over a kneeling Anakin and Ahsoka bloodied and beaten "leads to suffering." Asajj smiled taking out both her lightsabers and bringing them down on their heads. _

"Leo?" Ahsoka shook Leo out of his nightmare and was kneeling over him inside his dorm room. He was pale as a ghost and had beads of sweat over his head, "What… what are you doing here?" He asked, sitting up.

She took her hands off him and sat down across from him "I couldn't sleep, you looked like you were having a bad dream?" She asked.

He nodded reaching under his pillow to feel the red kyber crystal, "I was thinking of going for a walk, want to come?" She asked me to get up.

He got up too pushing the kyber crystal in his pocket without her seeing, or so he thought "Yeah."

Later, the two Padawans had left the dormitory and into the vacant grand halls of the temple, since it was night only dim lights came from lights built into the pillars holding up the ceiling. They passed by the great statues of former Jedi, in addition they passed by some of the floating orbs held up by magnetic systems and great artistic works such as a mural of ancient Jedi. They walked up one of the flights of stairs to another layer before they came out into one of the rooftop gardens Ashoka took a seat on one of the benches and looked at Leo who was still standing.

"Are you gonna sit or just stand there stoically trying to look like Skyguy?" She asked.

He loosened up smiling before he sat down looking up at the ships passing overhead he was about to speak when he stopped "Yeah?" She asked noticing he'd shut his mouth before saying a single word.

"Nothing." Leo said back shaking his head, AHsoka looked at him intently her eyes tracing the lines on his face "Do I have something on my face?" Leo asked.

"That's just it, I was trying to picture you with a beard like Master Kenobi, do you think you'll be able to grow one?" She asked him.

His brow curled and he snickered scratching his chin "Maybe I'll grow a mustache instead?"

"No, not a mustache, they look like harry worms on human faces." Ahsoka chuckled "Could you imagine if Skyguy had a mustache?"

Leo imagined it "What about mutton chops?" He asked putting his fingers on his cheeks and above his lip to make it look like he had one "Eh I don't know, personally I'm glad I don't have hair like yours it seems like such a chore to brush it." She said reaching up and ruffling his hair.

He let her do so and he leaned in as she curled her fingers in his hair "It's so soft, may need a brush or do you need a comb, which is better?" she asked, taking her hand away.

"I never really thought about it?" Leo said crossing his arms looking up "You have a lot of problems with that?" Ahsoka said leaning back on the bench.

"Combing my hair?" Leo asked her.

"No… Thinking." she said chiding him, Leo frowned at her as she stuck her nose up eyeing him, the second she looked away Leo flicked his hand and with the force shoved her off the bench onto the garden floor. Ahsoka caught herself and looked back at Leo, smiling down at her when she got up "So its come to this." She said walking around the bench.

Leo didn't understand her at first before she took out her lightsaber and took a formal fighting stance "Betrayed by a fellow Jedi." She said dramatically snarling with her lightsaber in xien style grip.

Seeing what she was doing he got up "You dare to accuse me of treachery Master Tano?" Leo asked drawing his lightsaber twirling the white blade "It is you who betray me."

"Words will bring us nothing, tonight you become one with the force." Ahsoka said glad to see he was playing along "Strike me down and I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine." Leo raised his sword and the two of them commenced the duel. Ahsoka ran up to him striking up, he blocked and partied before they broke off circling one another. Ahsoka ran at him again and he caught her strikes from left and right, she tried to kick him but he dodged again.

"Face me you cur." Ahsoka hissed as Leo smiled "At your own peril." He went on the offensive his blade glancing off her reverse grip held a lightsaber, he and her moved backwards as he swung at her.

Their lightsabers flashed off one another hissing each time they locked swords, Ahsoka shoved into him and backflipped away onto the bench now standing over him "It's over Leo I have the high ground."

Leo dropped his lightsaber "No, no that's not true it's impossible." He faked collapsing to his knees "Not the high ground anything but the high ground." He fake wailed as Ahsoka raised her sword suddenly both their comlink beeped "You to?" Ahsoka asked him "Ahsoka, Leo are you awake?"

"Yes General?" Leo asked looking at Ahsoka "We're here."

"Get dressed and get to the hanger, we've been given an important assignment." Anakin told them.

Ahsoka smiled, getting up "Finally getting back to what we do best." Ahsoka said springing to her feet.

Later, the Twilight was flying through hyperspace with Anakin and Ahsoka at the controls, Artoo was working on the nav computer as Adrian at the table next to the droid. Ahsoka was checking the ships systems before she turned over to Anakin at the pilot's seat "So Master what is this secret mission." Ahsoka asked him.

"It wouldn't be a secret if I told you now wouldn't be." Anakin said dismissing her.

"But if we're on the mission shouldn't we know what the objective is?" Leo asked him.

Anakin turned around in his chair "True, very well so both of you listen well." Anakin said both Padawans eager to hear the new mission.

"I asked personally that you two come with me on this mission, so it's imperative you listen closely." Anakin said crossing his arms in his chair.

"Whatever it is General Skywalker, we're ready." Leo said confidently.

Anakin nodded "That's what I like to hear, cause this is something neither of you have ever faced." Anakin said getting up pacing across the room hands behind his back "I can't watch your backs on this, you'll need to rely on each other more than ever."

"We will Master." Ahsoka said getting up showing she was ready, Leo followed her lead and stood up too.

"This isn't another raid, or simple attack on Separatists I can't stress how different this will be to you two Padawans." Anakin said walking up to them both.

Ahsoka smiled smugly "Well whatever we're about to face I'd be pretty nervous that we're on our way."

"Okay, I trust you to with my life that's why, the Council has given us this extremely dangerous life threatening mission." Anakin said taking his seat pulling them out of hyperspace "The three of us…." Anakin paused almost afraid to say "Are going on vacation." The ship dropped out of hyperspace, the new hit the padawans like a lightning bolt before they bounced back and together they nearly shouted at the same time.

"WHAT!?"

Anakin nodded arms crossed smiling, the Twilight had dropped out of hyperspace toward a planet, it was covered in green archipelagos and blue oceans with white clouds in the more open parts of the sea. Anakin just spun around in his chair taking the controls.

"You heard me right, since the incident at the Senate Tower prevented me from going on my retreat, this will be mine and your retreat from the war." Anakin said as they went through the clouds of the world.

Ahsoka and Leo were both still confused as they sat down "But master the war-" "isn't going anywhere Ahsoka." Anakin said.

"And as your master and Leo's interim I think it's in your best interest to take some time off." Anakin said flying out of the clouds for them to see a magnificent view of an archipelago of islands connected by long hanging bridges over a vast blue ocean. The structures of the archipelago city were regal and magnificent, bright colored flags and banners hung from their walls as speeders and ships sailed across the sky and ocean. Leo looked out the window with Ahsoka as Anakin focused on flying, down below the two padawans could see people on sailboats or speeder boats drawing people on skies and boards. Gliders road the high winds as they passed over a large arena with a race track with a roaring crowd watching the race.

The two padawans couldn't help but smile at one another "What is this place?"

"This is the world of Telerath, mostly its banks but to get the people to come here they make every day a festival." Anakin said flying low across the water. Below them the water had fish and large mammal aquatic creatures hopping up to soar beside them. The Twilight descended toward a small island estate with a large main compound, it had a large landing pad attached to it with three senate amenities to the main building. A boat house with speeders parked under an open walled structure, in the water waiting for someone to take them, a lighthouse tower at the back reaching up high and an open courtyard with a fountain overlooking the blue sea. Small trees stood around the building giving shade to the sands and grass patches.

Their ship landed with the jedi getting out along with Artoo following Anakin "Is this all for us?" Ahsoka asked.

"Indeed, compliments of Senator Amidalla for you rescuing her Leo." Anakin told them arms crossed. They walked up the steps into the estate to see it was already adorned with furniture and art inside the main house. There was a large living room with couches around a fire pit with throw pillows behind a staircase that lead to the upper level. The wall opposite of the stairs was open facing into the courtyard that had garden walls lining with pillars holding up cloth awnings to shade them from the sun and ahead of it was the islands beach.

Ahsoka and Leo were in awe of the buildings decorum "Bedrooms are upstairs and fully stocked with anything we might need, food, clothes etc."

"Clothes?" Ahsoka asked Anakin as he started to head to the stairs "Oh two rules about Telerath, one no weapons so leave the lightsabers here and two were not here as Jedi just three normal Republic citizens on vacation." Anakin said using the force to summon their lightsabers to him off their belts.

"B-but Master what if we need them?" Leo asked him.

Anakin smiled "Don't worry about nothing going to happen to you while we're."

"No go have fun, that's an order." Anakin said walking toward an open doorway that led down to the boathouse "What about you Skyguy?"

Anakin smiled "Telerath is known for having one of the hardest pod racing courses in the galaxy with a hundred year old record, Artoo and I plan to break it and win myself a pretty credit while I'm away take some time to explore the city." He said walking out leaving the two padawans alone.

"Always on the move." Leo said arms crossed looking at Ahsoka "Well we might as well do as he says and explore the city, but he did say not as jedi." Ahsoka said walking upstairs, the hallway was a circle with an opening in the ceiling so they could look down in the living room. There were four bedroom doors with two opposing ones with notes that had their names on them so the padawans saw who's room was who's.

"I guess this one is mine?" Leo said seeing one door "Same here." Ahsoka said walking into the room, Ahsoka looked in the room to see it had a round bed, she assumed all the bedrooms had them. The room itself was also rounded with drawers to the left and a mirror above it, a closet was on the reverse side and a doorway beside the bed led out to a balcony like the other rooms, she walked over to the counter on the drawers and saw a note.

Opening it she read it aloud "Dear Ahsoka, I hope you enjoy this selection I picked it out for you, Padme." Ahsoka said smiling before she opened the drawer and her eyes got wide and cheeks flushed.

Later Leo walked out of his room wearing a yellow long sleeved shirt with a hood that had a zipper going off to the right side, he had thrown on a pair of green swim trunks that went past his knees, there were swirling designs on it similar to waves or trees on the left side. Instead of boots on his feet as usual he was wearing a pair of leather sandals.

When Ahsoka's door opened when Leo saw her, he burst out laughing at what she had on. She was wearing a bright blue and pink flower button up shirt with a purple sarong wrapped around her waist going all the way to her ankles, flip flops covered her feet but on her lekku was a massive wide brimmed white hat with a string hanging down from its under flap, when she heard his laughed she crossed her arms blushing under a pair of wide sunglasses

"You look ridiculous." Leo said.

"T-they didn't have a lot of stuff I liked." She said pulling at her sarong to it covered her legs.

He wiped the tears from his eyes "It's just you fight war in less than that, that's all?"

"Come on Rusty let's go see what the big deal about this place is."

She walked down the stairs and Leo followed her out of the estate toward the boat house, there were three speeders parked inside with one missing. Two of them looked at each speeder they were both older models, one was a bright red XJ-6 Airspeeder and the other one was pale blue and orange striped X-33 aquatic speeder.

"Red or blue?" Ahsoka asked him, Leo looked at one "You choose."

"Red it is, but there was a yellow one Skyguy took." Ahsoka said as she jumped into the drivers side and Leo got in beside her buckling up "You sure you know how to drive one of these?"

"We fly Starfighter into battle how hard can it be?" She asked turning the ship on.

The engine turned over roaring to life, Ahsoka hit the gas pedal, Leo held on for dear life his red hair whipping behind him like his shirts hood, Ahsoka's hat flew back and hung around her neck as the sheer g-force of the aircraft hitting them like a sledgehammer.

"Somebody has been modifying this." Ahsoka said over the wind as she soared up into the clouds laughing.

Leo looked over at her and started to smile "Oh this is fast for you?" He asked.

"You want fast Rusty, here we go." Ahsoka took the speed stick in hand and the speeders engines started to burn across the sky before she went into a dive straight toward the white capped waves. Pulling up at the last moment the water split underneath them to the padawans' laughter.

"Hahahah… alright, alright what are we going to do first?" Leo asked her, Ahsoka was still trembling from the excitement before she looked back at the droid "Any suggestions?"

"Let's check the holofeed?" Leo said pressing a button on the speeders control, a bright colorful dug appeared with a mustache and purple waist coat with puffy white sleeves before he spoke "Ladies and Gentlemen Boys & Girls of all ages come to see Preigo's Traveling World of Wonders HaHa!" He the dug danced on the haul before the hologram erupted into fireworks.

"Ahsoka?" Leo asked "Hmm yeah I guess that looks fine?"

"Ahsoka?" Leo asked his voice growing more tense "What I said we'll go?"

"Ahsoka LOOK OUT!" Leo yelled getting her head to snap back to the water in front of them, it was rushing up to meet them they were so distracted by the hologram that Ahsoka hadn't noticed they were heading straight for one of the larger islands docks with other speeder boats and people running for cover as they were coming in way to fast. The padawan reacted with jedi speed spinning the speeder and hitting the brakes to pull them right into the nearest open spot sending a wave of water onto the docks splashing over people and security droids who just looked at one another. Leo's heart was racing rapidly as Ahsoka giggled "Whoops." Across from them sitting outside a cantina in the shade wearing a dark black leather coat, with a wide brimmed ten gallon hat was an old man with an eyepatch who smiled seeing all the people getting wet.

Elsewhere on the planet Anakin walked out of the race track with a purse full of credits in his hand tossing them up, he looked back over to see the holo tower showing all the records showing someone else's name before it changed to show his "That was easier than I thought." He said fumbling with the winners purse as Artoo walked next to him.

Artoo beeped happily "Yeah probably was cause I had a great pit crew chief." Anakin said walking past the crowds, there were diverse as they were large with humans and aliens of all kinds walking around in leisure wear or extravagant garments.

Among them a courier droid with one wheel for its lower body and a torso with two arms appeared to speed up to Anakin handing him a note "Subject identified, proceeding to deliver a confident letter." It said handing him the note "What wait I-" Anakin tried to stop the droid before it sped off.

"Weird?"Anakin said holding up the note and opening it, his eyes got wide and so did the smile going from ear to ear "Hey buddy go find Leo and Ahsoka they may need some spending money." He said tossing the droid the credits.

The droid beeped curious "Jedi business don't worry just need to contact the council." Anakin said walking over to a public speeder bike section.

Artoo rolled off efore Anakin got onto one of the public speeder bikes, he pulled it up into the air and road off back into the archipelago of smaller islands, he flew down to the one furthest away from the others, it had a single ship parked next to a small hut with a curtain drawn over the door. Landing Anakin smiled walking up to it knowing what was inside and it certainly wasn't Master Windu, he waited outside the curtain and whispered "Permission to enter my lady?"

"Permission granted." The voice of Padme Amidalla said on the other end before Anakin walked in.

Back with Leo and Ahsoka the two of them were walking across the docks after parking the speeder mingling among the crowd, "So that show isn't til later this evening we have plenty of time to kill?" Ahsoka said as they walked on.

"Hey you two!" Someone shouted, both padawans turned around to see a group of security droids running up to them. They looked like Coruscant police models but had gold plating instead of blue.

"You two were driving very erratically and will be issued one ticket of five thousand credits for reckless driving, whoever was driving show me your license immediately!" The lead droid barked at them. Both padawans without wallets or lightsabers couldn't show them who they were, and remembered Anakin's words of secrecy.

Leo spoke first "Um well you see officer it's just-" "Excuse me officer?" The droid turned around to the old man with the eyepatch and hat.

"I believe I saw some unsavory characters attempting to leave without paying for their stay?" The old man said keeping his hat over his face "Leave without paying that's a Capital offense- Onward men!" The droid captain said running away toward the nearest hotel leaving both kids alone and out of trouble.

Both of them sighed in relief "Thanks Mister?" Ahsoka said up to the old man, he had a full beard and despite wearing an eyepatch with a scar under it his smile "No problem little lady."

"Nice driving you did there, scared the ghosts out of half these morons." He said taking out a toothpick and biting on it before he started to walk, "You two new arrivals?" He asked.

"That obvious?" Ahsoka asked him "A bit girl, don't worry Telerath is great for kids your age." He said beside them as they passed through the streets "We didn't get your name Mister?"

The man walked out in front and took off his hat bowing, when he did his black coat pushed back and he revealed a set of blasters on his hips "Malcolm Jetstream at your service young masters."

Ahsoka and Leo immediately recognized the weapons "I thought there weren't any weapons allowed here?" Ahsoka asked curious and wary.

"Aweeee those, well I won't tell if you won't…." he leaned in and winked his good eye "Jedi."

Both padawns went rigid hearing him call them what they really were "Well see you two a round and enjoy your stay."

Each of them were left stunned, "Weird guy, should we follow him?" Leo asked and Ahsoka brushed it off "We're on vacation Leo, lets act like it…" she said as something caught her attention.

"Hey look at that." She pointed over to some colorful stands down another alleyway.

She took Leo's hand and dragged him over to a series of booths colorfully patterned with strings going across the top between them with flags and banners hanging from above. There were various games and contests being offered as prizes, in between them food vendors offered sweets and deep fried meats that they could taste from smell alone.

"Which do we try first?" Ahsoka asked.

"None, we don't have any money?" Leo said holding his hands up and suddenly a purse of credits fell into it, Leo and Ahsoka looked over their shoulder to see Artoo rolling up to them waving his arm.

"Guess Skyguy won?" Ahsoka said snatching the purse and walking up to the vendor "What'll it be kids?" He was a quarren wearing a white apron and hat with a bright colored yellow shirt.

Ahsoka and Leo eyed the candy and food on sticks before they rested their eyes on a set of buckets with soft looking frozen cream, "What's that stuff?" Ahsoka asked, pointing to the frozen buckets.

"What's that stuff, you never had this before?" The quarren asked eyes wide as Ahsoka and Leo shook their heads. His tendrils curled up with excitement "Oh you two are in for a real treat, just make sure you don't eat too much to fast." He said reaching into the barrels as he held two tan cones with waffle patterns to hold it together.

"Flavors?" He asked.

Ahsoka looked through the menu and saw a soft white tub "I'll have that white one, Rusty?" She asked looking at Leo looking at a brown one "Brown?"

"Haha brown, one vanilla for the little lady and chocolate for your boyfriend." He said handing them the frozen cream on the cones "I-I'm not her boyfriend." Leo said embarrassed while Ahsoka snickered before they walked off with Artoo behind them. Their tongues touched the cold goo and both of them froze, never before in the entirety of the jedi order had two jedi experiences and explosion of flavor so astronomically cosmic.

"W-what…" Ahsoka said "is this?" Leo finished looking at the stand that read 'Ice Cream'.

Their little padawan minds had been blown up like a planet with a doomsday flavor laser "This is the greatest thing I've ever tasted Rusty." Ahsoka gasped.

"I can't eat anything else ever again, I'm only going to eat this from now I don't care if I get as fat." Leo said taking another lick of his chocolate one, Ahsoka took a bite into her white one moaning between her lips at how good it was.

Suddenly she grabbed her lekku "Blast that hurts?" Ahsoka said.l

"What is whats- whoa?" Leo said getting a brain freeze shortly after her.

Artoo beeped at them in what could only be described as a droids laughter "Guess we eat this slow?" She said starting to feel it pass as they walked over a bridge with a stream leading out into the ocean through a series of complex drains. After passing out of the stands and vendors they came to a large courtyard in front of one of the beaches. Dancing and singing in the courtyard were a band of minstrels strumming electronic lutes and drums as a man and woman danced. Both padawans stopped to watch for a few moments. Until I heard shouting and laughter from the beach, walking over to the steps before Ahsoka came behind him. The beach was alive with people, families on vacation building sand castles, teams of youth playing games in the sand while others waded into the water swimming or sailing. Speeder bikes soared over the water and waves in the blink of the eye kicking up white caps of waves.

"Beach?" Leo asked her.

Ahsoka looked at the people on the beach, at how some were wearing swimwear and others less "...Sure." They walked down into the sands with Artoo following them his wheels leaving tracks behind them. The beach was divided into different parasols with leaned back long chairs for people to lay on, when they found one both padawans sat down watching the waves and people go by.

Leaning back on the chair the two padawans enjoyed the sun "Ok I'll admit it Skyguy may have been onto something in bringing us here." Ahsoka said moaning at her stretching as she started to relax.

Leo did so to "Maybe."

Looking around the beach Leo noticed people walking by the water or lounging in it and so on. "Want to go for a swim?" He asked.

Ahsoka's eyes broke out from behind her sunglasses "N-no I'm fine." She said sitting up.

The green eyes of Leo got wide and he smiled getting up "Don't tell me the brave Ahsoka Tano doesn't know how to swim?"

"I know how to swim, I just don't feel like it!" She snapped turning over.

"Come on Ahsoka I was only jokein-" "Look out!" Someone yelled and Leo's jedi senses suddenly flared and his head spun around catching a thick leather ball in his hand,

A group of youths were running up to them before they stopped seeing Leo catch the ball, the young jedi's eyes were like stone as the youths saw him. They appeared to be about seven of them with seven behind them all wearing swimsuits, some with their ears, who had them tapped down.

"Whoa, nice catch?" A tholothian boy with blue skin his lekku tendrils tied up in a knot on his head held by a colorful bandana on his forehead, he wore bright orange swim trunks and had both ankles wrapped up. Leo felt no malintent from him or the other kids looking at him, they were a mix of humans and humanoids all around their looked down at the ball it was spherical with tape around its main body "Toss it here willya mate." One of them said.

Leo looked at the ball "Hello?" The tholothian asked "Oh sorry here." Leo said throwing the ball back to him.

The Tholothian smiled walking up to Ahsoka and Leo as he caught the droid, he noticed Artoo next to them "Nice R2 Unit mate, you two on vakay?" He asked.

"Yeah." Ahsoka said sitting up looking at him turning over, "Heyo Shay what's taking so long?" Someone called out from the seven other youths behind them. Walking up to the two padawans was someone Leo looked very closely at. She was a human with sun kissed tan skin, thick blonde dreadlocks bleached by waves wearing a dark black two piece swimsuit. She was also tall and more developed than Ahsoka was in any sense of the word "Oh hey there?" She said when she saw Leo.

Leo couldn't help but smile when she spoke to them "Hey?"

The girl looked over at Ahsoka with a set of turquoise eyes "You two want to play?" She asked.

"You okay with that Shay?" She asked the tholothian.

"Sure thang Momu, if both of dem play?" Shay said tossing the ball over to Ahsoka. She caught it by surprise and looked over at Leo, "Come on, it'll be fun."

Ahsoka looked at the ball and at the other players beckoning them on before she smiled "Watch our stuff Artoo." she said taking off her sandals when she none of them were wearing them.

"Word of advice cheeks, you may not want to wear the sash… uh." Shay said walking back over to the group of players "Ahsoka and this is Leo."

"Ahsoka, Leo you ever play Rugger Ball?" Shay asked the two of them.

They each shook their heads, "Rules are simple when playing Pitch Ball, see dat net?" he asked, pointing to where most of the kids were standing. There was a tall net with a rectangle trench drawn around it for them to see, around it the sand was filled with divots and small pits from people running or diving through it.

"One side tries to get the ball to hit the sand on the other, easy." Shay said tossing the ball to Ahsoka "You can be on my team, Momu you mind taking redhead?"

Momu took Leo's hand "Nope." she said pulling him to the other end of the net.

"You stay up front, jump and swat anything they hit back I serve behind you got it?" Momu asked Leo "Uh I think so?" Shay stood behind Ahsoka who looked across from him, the four of them got ready before Shay took the ball and served it over the net, Leo saw it coming and hit it up into the air, Momu ran up behind him and jumped swatting it down on Ahsoka who raised her hands to catch it.

Everyone burst out laughing when she caught it except for Leo, Ahsoka looked around "W-what I thought we weren't suppose to let it hit the ground?" Ahsoka asked.

"Alright, alright everyone back off woulda?" Shay snapped at all the other kids putting his hand on Ahsoka's shoulder "She didn't know okay, look Ahsoka right you hit it up into the air to get it abck, never catch understand?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, thanks." she said a little embarrassed but glad to have been told what to do the right time.

Shay looked through the net to Leo and Shay "Momu you okay if point doesn't count?"

"Course, but we serve this time." Momu said smiling winking at him "Fair fair." Shay said tossing the ball over the net for her to catch.

"Leon?" She asked "Leo." he replied correcting her "Come here, I'll show you how to serve."

Leo walked over beside her and she spread his feet in the sand "Knees bent and held the ball like this." she said putting the ball under her arm and getting behind him she pressed herself on against him where Leo could feel her chest on his back, his blush was impossible to hide as everyone around them giggled or whistled as she put the ball in his hands "Hit it like this okay red?" she asked him to take her arm back making a fist before she brought it forward slowly to show him how it was done. Ahsoka frowned as she thought Momu was looking over at her to make her jealous.

"Alright I-I think I got it?" Leo said before she walked up in front of him, she smiled "We play to five."

Leo drew back his hand and served the ball over the net, this time Ahsoka was ready she jumped up and swatted it forward sending the ball back down. Momu's eyes hardened and she slid toward where it was about to fall and hit it up into the air "Now Leo." Momu snapped at him.

He ran up and hit it back down over the side, Shay ran up to catch it and hit back over to the end of the court where it hit the back "Haha point." Shay said high giving Ahsoka.

"Alright, you want to play Shay lets play." Momu said walking over to the ball and picking it up and serving again. The two teams started to serve and spike it back and forth over the net, Ahsoka had to dive to catch the next close shot before Momu jumped up and hit back down between Shay and Ahsoka. Shay served the ball again and Leo was able to hit back over softly but far back Shay caught it hitting it up for Ahsoka to hit over. It smacked Leo in the head before it hit the sand with a dusty splash.

"Point way to go." Shay said, throwing his arm around Ahsoka.

She smiled a bit but didn't care for his chest being put against her head "Alright, can we play now?" Momu snapped. The game continued with the ball bouncing back and forth between them to the cheers and yells of the crowd of youths. The padawans diving and leaping took the crowd by storm as neither side wanted to waver then the other, but balls were missed and spikes to fast till they were both at match point panting hard.

"Alright, match point Leo you ready?" Momu asked him before she served it "Yes ma'am." Leo replied looking at Ahsoka, she was breathing hard but was smiling.

Momu hit the ball into the air and Leo watched Ahsoka run up and try to hit it back, he threw his hand in the air to tip it before it could get past him. Momu hurried up to swat it back, Shay dove to catch it before it hit the sand and Ahsoka jumped up at the same time as Leo ran up to where she was, she twitched her finger at his foot and Leo slipped in the sand the ball smashed into the sand beside is head to the roar of everyone's delight.

"Aaaaaye way to go Ahsoka!" Shay said picking her up spinning her around, everyone rushed over to there side and started to cheer patting Ahsoka on the back and on her lekku.

Leo groaned in the sand looking at the blue sky before he saw Momu standing over him blotting out the sun "Well better luck next time Leo, you did good." she said pulling him up and close. She put her hands on his shoulders leaning over him "Maybe you deserve a reward for your efforts?" she asked.

"B-but we lost?" Leo said.

"So? You know you're not too bad looking for a shortie, kinda cute?" Momu asked twirling his padawan braid.

Ahsoka noticed and she wasn't the only one "Hey losers let someone else have the court?" Shay snapped behind Ahsoka as he walked off so other people could use the court.

Momu let go of Leo smiling before she walked off the court too, Leo followed her as she met up with Shay, the tholothian boy smirked at them as the two were now four "How about a swim to cool off?" Shay suggested pointing to the beach.

"Sounds good." Momu said walking toward the water brushing her blonde locks back over her head. Leo followed her along with Shay but Ahsoka couldn't seem to get her feet to move.

"Ahsoka? Oh not again?" Leo said seeing she was still being sheepish about swimming "Look if you don't know how to swim that's fine, I'll show you." Leo said offering her his hand.

"No its not that, just-just turn around okay." Ahsoka said, Leo shrugged and sighed, turning around, both Shay and Momu noticed the other two were being pokey "Hey Leo you two… coming?" Shay said before his jaw dropped.

Leo nodded "Yeah we… what are you looking at?" Leo asked turning his head around to Ahsoka, and as Shay's jaw dropped Leo's jaw hit the sand. Ahsoka had shed her shirt and sarong to reveal she was wearing a white two piece swimsuit, the top was held by blue strings around her back and neck tied behind in bows and so was the bottom with each string the same shade as blue.

She walked up to them and when she saw Leo's face "What are you staring at?" She said avoiding his eyes "N-nothing, lets swim." Leo said turning around heading to the water.

"You gonna swim in a shirt boyo?" Momu giggled pointing to his yellow shirt, "Oh." Leo said before he reached down and took it off, both other teens eyes got wide when they saw the scars covering Leo's torso. The lightsaber slashes on his chest and arms took them by surprise.

"Stars Above?" Shay mumbled, Momu reached for his hand and took it looking at him. Shay took his hand away "Well lets go swim." He said turning around and running into the water.

Momu smiled watching him go, before looking back at Ahsoka and Leo "Lets go or are you two scared?" She asked. Ahsoka and Leo looked at one another both of them showing more skin then they ever had before to each other "So-" "Just shut up and follow me." Ahsoka said running toward the water throwing her old shirt on his head. Leo followed her into the water where she dove under the oncoming waves with a splash. Leo jumped in after her and came up looking around.

"Ahsoka?" He said when she was gone, suddenly Ahsoka burst from the water behind him and dunked him down into the water.

Leo flailed at first but he grabbed her arms and pulled her down with him into the water.

Meanwhile, across the archipelagic city, Anakin Skywalker was laying on a hammock swaying in the wind tied up between two trees, he wore only a pair of short trousers that covered his legs. Suddenly a shade came over him and he opened his eyes, he opened his eyes to see his wife Padme Amidalla wearing a two piece dress holding two coconut cups "And here I thought you didn't like sand and here you are laying on a sandy beach?"

"No, I'm lying above a sandy beach." Anakin said as she handed him a coconut, she joined him on the hammock laying up next to him.

"So we finally got away?" Padme said smiling as she laid up against his shoulder.

Anakin hummed to her "Everything you hoped for?" She asked.

"Well sure, I've got you in my arms, I won a pod race, both the kids are here and not an Obi-Wan or Mace Windu in site, let alone a battle droid?" Anakin said, Padme suddenly laughed holding her hand over her hand over her mouth.

"What, what I say?" He asked.

"You just said 'the kids', like Leo and Ahsoka are our children?" Padme told him rolling over onto his chest. Anakin realized the irony of the word "Well… they sort of are, aren't they?" He asked laughing at his own joke.

Padme tried to hold back the laughter "We are all taking a family vacation together aren't we hahaha?"

"Does that make Obi-Wan their uncle or godfather?" Padme asked laughing before Anakin could refute it his comlink blinked.

Groaning he held it up before turning it off "You're just going to ignore it?" Padme asked him.

"Yeah I'm on vacation." Anakin said "And I'm with my family…" Anakin realized what he had just said, he looked down at Padme "What you said about my padawans, do you- do you think I'd make a good father?" Padme sat up a bit, her face serious as she took his head by the cheek "Absolutely." Before she kissed him behind them a setting sun started to turn the ocean from blue to orange.

Across the city as the sun started to set, lanterns and lights were being turned on, from the towering cathedral like banks to the beaches where Ahsoka and Leo were at with Artoo behind them. A few fires were starting to appear on the sand with everyone still at the beach gathering around. Leo and Ahsoka were sitting next to Lomu and Shay watching the fire burn the logs with red embers. Ahsoka had taken her sarong around her waist as Leo sat next to her "Why were you so worried about me seeing you in this?" Leo asked her.

Ahsoka new the question was coming so she wasn't to suprised "Its just less then what I'm use to?"

"Bwha- hahahahah." Leo let out a laugh that took Ahsoka off guard "Ahsoka you fight in a tube top?"

Ahsoka looked at him before she smiled and laughed too "Yeah I guess your right."

"Besides doesn't matter what you wear, I'd never think less of you for wearing something like that, your my best friend" Leo said confidently taking her hand in his own, the two of them shared an intimate glance when a great beam of light shot up in the sky in the distance down the beach. Then came a few more that started to sway back and forth with loud music coming from them in a jubilation of tunes.

Some people on the beach decided to get up and start walking toward it "Guess thats the show starting?" Ahsoka said as Lomu and Shay got up "You two going to see it too?" Shay asked his arm around Lomu, she was wearing a blue jacket over her swimsuit now as Shay had thrown on a shirt.

"Yeah." Ahsoka said getting up "Well let's get going then." Lomu said walking toward the lights. The padawans followed them with Artoo trailing after them they followed there new friends and soon others into a large crowd that were walking straight toward a large red and white striped set of tens all set up on the end of the beach. The music had gotten louder and even more joyful. The big top had a large curtain drawn ever so briefly that the light coming out of it was a rainbow of colors ever changing and swirling from whatever was inside.

Standing outside the curtains were two people on stilts dressed brightly with an array of trinkets around them ones as juggling sticks of fire the other twirling long strings of rope in an elegant dance before they passed through and saw Preigo's Traveling World of Wonders first hand. The inside of the big top was packed with a roaring crowd around the center ring, twi'lek dancers jumped and paraded in the middle, a gamorrean clown rolled on a ball as he juggled various balls, a nekku tamer beat a whip against a hoop that made his nekku tiger leap through and roar for the crowd. Above them Ahsoka and Leo saw trapeze artists flipping through the air on ropes without a net beneath them.

"This way you two." Shay said heading up a flight of stairs in the stands, Ahsoka and Leo followed him as Artoo moved over to a section set a part for droids. When they finally found their seats it seemed just in time as the lights started to go down the dug who could only be presumed to be Preigo holding a megaphone.

"Ladies and Gentlment, boys and girls of all ages welcome TO PREIGO'S WORLD OF WONDERS CIRCUS!" He yelled through the megaphone, roars of applause and cheers answered him as he bowed.

"Thank you, thank you and now for tonight's entertainment." Another beam of light appeared this time on a small speeder rolling out from behind another curtain, it sped to the center around him and came to a halt "May I present the Galaxy renowned troop of clowns known a s the Pigsy Boys." The doors of the tiny speeder opened and two dozen full grown gamorreans burst out dancing and juggling. SOme did flips and pulled out birds or balloons from their sleeves.

Leo clapped his hands next to Ahsoka "How'd they get so many in there?" He asked.

The clowns started to set up a large board and strapped one of their clowns into, another one of them refaced into the folds of his costume and pulled out a set of knives and through them at the board narrowly missing the other one. Everyone applauded except Ahsoka "Okay that seems too easy." Ahsoka said before they started to spin the wheel. Then they threw the knives before stopping the wheel not a single knife had touched the gamorrean clown and he'd even managed to catch one in his teeth.

The crowd cheered at the thrower's skill and even the one who caught one in his teeth "Okay that was impressive." Ahsoka said. The clowns did more than just knife throwing, they did bits of comedy pretending to be cops and robbers, throwing cream pies into one another or spraying them with water.

The clowns rolled off back behind the curtains as everyone clapped them off, Preigo came out again in the center "And now our next show-" a blaster shot rang across the sky and someone screamed, Ahsoka nearly got up but Leo stopped her as a light appeared on a purple coated man with a wide brimmed hat "Do not be alarmed good people, out next showmen is a former bounty hunter turned entertainer the famous Malcolm Jetstream." The man walked out holding two blasters, he had a silver beard and gold teeth smiling up with his one eye, he even winked at Leo and Ahsoka.

"Is that?" Ahsoka asked "Guess we know why he was here?"

"No one can beat his skill observe." Preigo said as the trapeze artists appeared overhead.

Through a series of plates into the air, Jetstream drew his blasters and opened fire hitting each of them and when the two trapeze artists appeared again grabbing the plates in the air and linking arms to show them to the crowd.

"I could deflect his shots I bet." Ahsoka said into Leo's ear "Maybe?"

Preigo smiled at the crowd "Don't cheer too hard just yet, we aren't done yet." Preigo said.

"Watch as Malcolm Jetstream blindfold himself…" Jetstream took out a cloth in his jacket and pulled it around his eyes "And be held upside down!" Preigo said as one of the trapeze artists swooped down and picked him up flipping him into the air. The other one came out and grabbed him by his legs for him to draw his blaster. As he hung there upside down everyone gasped as the other gymnast held a target in his teeth and swung down. Jetstream squeezed the trigger and the shot rang out in a deathly silent room. When the trapeze artists all landed with Jetstream at the top with one of the trapezes, the other one landed holding up the target with a clear bullseye.

Everyone jumped to their feet in applause with the lights dimmed down "He's good." Leo said clapping his hands back. Up above, Jetstream was sitting on one of the trapeze stands watching the show enjoying some strong drink from a flask.

"I guess so." Ahsoka said clapping to.

When Preigo was the only one seen by the lights, "And now for something truly exceptional, from the wild jungles of Ryloth, I give you the MIGHTY RANCOR!"

The curtains behind Preigo drew back and out on a moving platform chained up by its neck and arms was a fully grown gray skinned Rancor. It roared furiously against the restraints snapping its massive jaws howling at the audience, some screamed others gasped more cheered. Lomu and Shay were one of them but Ahsoka and Leo had different expressions, they shared worried looks at one another. Both their new friends noticed it "What's wrong?" Shay asked.

"It just doesn't seem right to do that to an animal?" Ahsoka said arms crossed.

Leo agreed "Yeah, it knows it doesn't belong here."

"Just a dumb beast, no big deal." Lomu said, Leo smiled at her as it roared shaking the chains hard sending a ripple of fear across the crowd "Tell it that."

The rancor thrashed in its chains starting to shake the very stage it was on and the tent too. Its shaking got so violent some people started to panic for real, Preigo's own caretakers started to back away from the creature "Everyone re-remain calm we have the situation under control!" Preigo said into his megaphone pulling a this mustache when the Rancor's chainz snapped around its wrist.

Momu let out a scream grabbing onto Shay, up above Jetstream spat out his drink while Leo and Ahsoka jumped to there feet "Not good." Ahsoka gasped "You think!" Leo barked. The rancor started to break free rom its other restraint around its neck ripping the metal away with its claws and roaring at the scrambling crowd trying to push through others outside to safety. The now freed Rancor started to stomp around the big top roaring looking at all the small sentiments to choose from for a meal, one of the gamorean clowns was frozen, petrified by fear before it was grabbed by the rancor.

Squealing up a storm Leo and Ahsoka didn't hesitate to run into action "What do we do we don't have our lightsabers?" Leo asked Ahsoka.

"We do like Master Skywalker does- we improvise." She said with less then sure confidence looking around the chaotic stage. Ahsoka spied some of the clowns juggling balls and picked one up "Here we need to distract it." Ahsoka said tossing it to Leo.

The two of them pelted the rancor in the face with the balls that did little more then annoy the creature and get it to look there way "Over here you big dumb lizard!" Ahsoka said.

"Come get two for the price of one!" Leo yelled, hitting the rancor in the eye. It dropped the squealing clown focusing now on them. It took one step before someone with a blaster shot it square in the eye, swinging down from the trapeze on top was none other than Malcolm Jetstream with a blaster in hand "Smile you son of a- whoa!"

The Rancor swung his giant claw into the trapeze ropes making him let go and crash down between the two padawans, who quickly picked him up "Not one of my best landings." He grumbled taking out his other pistol.

"Or ideas, I think you just made it angry." Ahsoka said, almost everyone besides the three of them and the Rancor had cleared out of the big top. The only ones who hadn't were Shay and Momu when they saw Leo and Ahsoka were still inside both of them screamed.

"What are you idiots doing!?" Shay yelled back at them "Get out of here!" Leo yelled back to them as he dodged a rancors swipe, Momu listened to him and dragged Shay out of the tent. Ahsoka and Leo moved around the Rancors feet while it smashed and swung its giant claws.

Jetstream had gotten to cover behind one of the large pillars shooting "I told that Preigo you can take the animal out of the wild, but ya can't take the wild out of OH you know what I mean!?" He said before the rancor shredded the pillar like it was paper making part of the tent collapse.

"We gotta get out of here, this whole place is coming down." Leo said landing next to Ahsoka "I think you just gave me an idea." Ahsoka said.

"What?" Leo asked her "We can bring this whole place down on it?" Ahsoka said gesturing to the big tops tent and rigging bove that held it up.

Ahsoka nodded at him trying to convince him it was a good idea but Leo shook his head "That is a terrible idea, it's a Skywalker idea."

"Then let's do it." Ahsoka said running over to one of the few remaining pillars still standing, there were three holding it up around the center ring that was so filled by the Rancor immense size.

"OVER HERE UGLY!" Ahsoka yelled, waving her arms in the air trying to get the beasts attention, it worked cause the beast turned sniffing the air snarling at her. The small but sharp teeth barred at her baying for blood. It charged her and reached for her with its claws, Ahsoka jumped out of the way onto its arm running up its arm and shoulder before jumping up to catch one of the trapeze bars to swing over to Jetstream. Across the ring Leo groaned at what he was about to do "HEY RANCOR, COME AND GET ME!" he hollered picking up whatever he could find to throw at the rancor, juggling clubs, empty bottles etc..

Now the beast was coming for him, enraged at the elusive prey it didn't reach for him instead it just charged turning its head down low and moving with lightning speed "Leo look out!" Ahsoka yelled at how quickly the rancor was moving against him. Leo dove to the right just in time before the big top started to falter.

Leo sat up seeing the Rancor even angrier than before, he couldn't get a chance to look at it anymore when he felt Jetstream's hand at his collar. "Move, move, move we just brought down the house." he snapped with Ahsoka behind him. The entire big top tent was coming down all around them taking the Rancor with it, when they ran out a cloud of dust and smoke flew out behind them from the opening flaps. The golden police droids had formed a secure perimeter around the tent with Preigo gathered around his performs speaking to one of the droids who was writing an entire encyclopedia of tickets when he saw the three of them come out.

"Jetstream, Jetstream please tell me Snowball is all right?" Preigo wailed running up to him.

"Snowball?" Ahsoka asked or wheezed from being out of breath "Its what he calls the Rancor, well I doubt it since we brought the tent down on it?" Jetstream said, looking back at the Jedi.

Preigo yelled in a dramatic agony "No that Rancor was everything I paid a fortune for it."

"And you'll pay a fortune again for lack of proper restraints or a permanent one, in addition you will have to pay various fines for endangering our patrons." The security droid said before it saw Ahsoka and Leo.

"You two, I almost forgot present your identification-aaazzz-zzzt." The droid was suddenly electrocuted from behind and fell forward to reveal Artoo behind it with his taser out.

Artoo gave a strong beep before retracting the taser "There you are where did you…" Leo trailed off as they started to hear something from the ruins of the big top.

"That doesn't sound good." Ahsoka said when out of the tents tarp burst the Rancor tangled in the tents rigging and ropes with an extra layer of fury to its hide. The crowd that thought it was safe once again went into a panic scattering to the beach and into the pavilion of stores and shops across the docks.

"Well I'm out of ideas." Ahsoka said shrugging "I'm not, we just need to get it to follow us." Leo told her as the Rancor scanned the crowd and looked at all the little people till it saw the two of them and roared in their direction.

The roar was so powerful it ruffled both men's hair and blew back Ahsoka's selka beads "I don't think that'll be a problem?" Jetstream said.

"RUN!" Leo yelled turning around and running into the pavilion, Ahsoka and Jetstream followed with Artoo scampering behind them screaming in droid. The Rancor gave chase, stomping and tearing a part stalls and stands, the security droids opened fire shooting into the beasts thick hide. But that just made it even angrier than before and got the droids nothing but turned into scrap. Ahead of them Leo and Ahsoka looked back to see the Rancor finish of the droids and even stomp over the lead droid.

"Well at least we won't get a ticket, so what's the plan?" Ahsoka said smiling and asking Leo.

Leo looked at her worried "Uh best not to tell you."

"What why- Leo what are you doing?" Ahsoka asked him as the Rancor started to chase them again "I ask myself that all the time, come on." They ran back closer to the docks and games that they first came to, when suddenly Leo stopped in front of the ice cream stand waiting for the Rancor to catch up, Ahsoka and the old gunfighter turned around to see him standing his ground "He's lost it." Jetstream gasped.

"Leo come on." Ahsoka said running up to him grabbing his hand "No hold your ground." Leo said pointing to the ice cream behind him. In a split second Ahsoka knew what he was planning "You sure this will work?" She asked.

The rancor was getting closer, its feet shaking the very earth with every step it took. "No idea, Jetstream shoot it above the eye when I say so!" Leo yelled back to the gunfighter. The man looked at the ice cream then at the rancor that only had one eye "Copy that Jedi." He said taking out his pistols.

"Alright, I trust you." Ahsoka said, squeezing his hand.

The beast was standing right over them roaring to the sky before it reached for them "Hold… hold…" Leo said till the rancor fully commented to grabbing them, Jetstream grazed the rancor across the forehead blinding it "NOW!" The two of them dove behind the ice cream stand for the rancor to grab the ice cream stall and lifted it up to its mouth shoving the barrels of ice cream into its massive jaws chewing and drooling a rainbow of frozen cream in its mouth before swallowing.

Jetstream ran up to Ahsoka and Leo getting them to there feet "Didn't work kids."

"Just wait for it." Leo said looking over at the still roaring rancor, when it's eye saw them cowering behind the wreckage it started to move at them then stopped. The rancor grabbed onto its head moaning and starting to wobble, it swayed left to right for a few moments the rigging ropes around its body dangling around its feet starting to get tangled in it even more.

Ahsoka saw a loose rope only a few meters away from them "The rope, grab it." She said running toward it and picking the rope up, Leo and Jetstream came up behind her to pull it trying to trip the rancor.

"Pull!" Ahsoka yelled at them "I am pulling." Leo barked but the rancor was still reeling from an atomic brain freeze when they felt a new set of hands on the rope. Ahsoka and Leo saw Momu and Shay pulling the rope too "We're here to boys." Shay snapped, even Artoo was there too pulling All six of them yanked the rope tight till the Rancor spun around and tripped. The rancor smashed into the docks out cold as the ice cream it just hit.

"YASSS!" Shay yelled grabbing onto Leo and Ahsoka by his arms, the big tholothian boy laughing "You two really know how to have some fun." Shay said.

Jetstream reached into his coat and pulled out a flask toasting "I'll say."

"Oh Shay you were so brave." Momu said coming up behind him to kiss the tholothian on the cheek "Oh schucks Cheeka you making me blush." Shay said, wrapping his arms around her.

Both Leo and Ahsoka finally realized that the little game the two played at the beach was more than just pitch ball. But a lovers quarrel between the two other kids "So much for our vacation?" Ahsoka said next to Leo as they started to hear security sirens in the distance.

"Wouldn't be the same if we didn't face death?" Leo said hands on his hips triumphantly.

"Speaking of death, remember what Skyguy said we better go?" Ahsoka said looking at incoming sirens and security droids.

Jetstream finished his drink "I better get back to Preigo he and the show are probably back at the ship before we get arrested." Malcolm said taking his hat off and putting it on Leo's head, "Good job jedi, till our paths cross again." He said before he ran off into the ruins of the pavilion.

"Wait you are jedi?" Momu said her big turquoise eyes growing bigger "Um yeah but don't tell anyone?" Ahsoka said scratching the back of her lekku "We won't promise." Shay said, taking her hand "Now go we can make up some lie for the droids."

"What?" Leo asked.

Shay and Momu snickered "We work here Jedi, show tourists like you a good time so they'll believe us."

"Oh thanks." Leo said back holding out his hand, Shay shook it as Momu shook Ahsoka "Keep an eye on that boy, he's a keeper Ahsoka."

Ahsoka gapped at Momu unsure what she meant "Oh your so sweet girl, now get going or you'll get arrested." Shay said, hurrying them off. The jedi didn't need another reminder, they hurried down to the docks hopping into their speeder and flying off with Artoo rocketing into the back behind them into the night sky. Later, the two padawans were back at the compound with the night sky above them, all the stars in the galaxy were shown above them lighting up the island they were on. Leo was sitting out in the courtyard his feet on the sand looking at the waves. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the red kyber crystal rolling it between his fingers. The red crystal glow was fainter until he started to look at it then it began to grow a bit brighter.

"What's that?" Leo closed the crystal into a fist when he saw Ahsoka standing behind him.

"Nothing." Leo said trying to hide it behind him "Leo come on, I see you looking that thing almost every chance you think someone's not looking?

Leo shook his head "I'm not looking at anything."

Ahsoka sat down next to him and glared at him "Leo come on, you disappear on Ryloth, you fight two sith acolytes and treat it like its some report why won't you talk to me?"

He avoided her gaze and looked at the sand, squeezing the kyber crystal in his fist "I didn't want to talk about what happened on Ryloth because I… I was afraid."

"I'd be afraid of Leo, fighting two Sith, alone?" She said,

"No." Leo snapped "Not that I was afraid… afraid what you'd think of me that I failed to save her."

"The girl on ryloth?" She asked.

Leo nodded fighting back some strong emotions "The sith were brothers, when I killed one of them I signed her death warrant, even when I got to the temple to try and save her he stabbed her in the back and all I could do was watch." Leo hissed his fists trembling with anger. Ahsoka took his closest fist in her hand "I'm sorry Leo, I wish I could have been there to help you."

"I fought him, I used my anger and my hatred to… to kill him, I wanted to kill the Sith for what he did to me to her, there was no peace there was no serenity only rage and it felt…. good, and it's tearing me apart." Leo said leaning over disgusting with himself. His disgust vanished when Ahsoka patted him on the back "I'm sorry Leo, but that's why talk about these things to get through them, you defeated two Sith you helped save a city about to be bombed those are good things."

He nodded and held up his other fist "I… I found this on Naboo." Leo said taking out the kyber crystal.

Ahsoka's eyes nearly blew out of her head "Is that?"

"A kyber crystal, there was… a temple turned into a Separatist base I… I found this inside along with the codes."

"And you took it, Leo, that's a red kyber crystal you know who uses red kyber crystals." She said her soft compassionate face turning to a dreadful one "I know, I know it's why I haven't told anyone, anyone but you." Leo told her he offered the crystal to her but she backed away.

"I don't want it." She said "And you… you shouldn't have it either."

Leo took his hand away closing it around the crystal "Why?"

"I just, I just don't like it, it makes me feel cold and like wrong." She said looking away. Leo put it away on the other side of him before he opened his fist again to look at it "I don't feel that at all?" He asked aloud looking at it almost in a daze.

"You should get rid of it." Ahsoka told him.

The boy snapped back to his friend who was looking at him worried "Why, I'm not afraid of it Ahsoka."

"It's okay to be afraid of Leo, if we aren't afraid we can't be brave can we?" She asked.

"No, I guess not." Leo said rubbing the crystal "So throw it away, right now." Ahsoka told him.

Leo got up from where he sat and walked down onto the beach looking at the ocean, he turned around holding it with both hands "I can't." He said back.

Getting up to follow him onto the sand Ahsoka held out her hand "Then let me do it."

Leo looked at her open palm then at her sincere face "Ahsoka I could have gotten rid of it a long time ago, but I've kept it to remind me of one thing."

"...what?" She asked.

"I'm a jedi, we must face the darkness even if it's in ourselves." He took the crystal and shoved it into his pocket "Let me face it." He said before Ahsoka dropped her open hand, she looked at his pocket then back at him "Okay Leo, I trust you but promise me you will get rid of that thing one day."

He nodded "You won't tell the Masters, or General Skywalker?" He asked.

She shook her head "No, you told me you can tell them when you're ready."

Leo reached out for her hand again and she took it "Thank you my fellow Jedi." He said with a smile when an explosion blew over his head. The two of them looked up to see airships throwing fireworks into the night sky illuminating the darkness in a rainbow of colors and explosions that filled the air. Across from them Anakin and Padme were watching, so were Shay and Lomu. Up in the stars a freighter belonging to Preigo and Jetstream was leaving orbit just in time to see the show going on. Ahsoka and Leo looked at one me another smiling at the end of their vacation.

"I wish we could stay here." Leo said looking up at the fireworks "Me too, so let's just stay in this moment a little longer." Ahsoka said squeezing his hand watching the fireworks go off.


	13. Holocron Heist

**So the site I use to get all the scripts/text from Clone Wars shutdown and I could some help with scripts to write around, if you know a site or good place to look to write it fast. This will skip over some of the Bane parts to move it along faster.**

**Chapter 13: Holocron Heist **

**FELUCIA**

Leo and Ahsoka were on the front lines of Felucia, their forces were pushing Separatist droids into a full retreat and they pressed their advantage. Leo was out front with the clones hacking away any droid close enough to his lightsaber while Ahsoka stood on the top of a tank deflecting incoming lightsaber shots that could hurt the tanks driver.

"How many do you have?" Leo asked.

"I'm twenty eight." She said "Ha twenty nine- no thirty." Leo said cutting a droid in half.

Across from them Anakin and Obi-Wan were being overwhelmed by another force of droids which had regrouped. Up above a

"Look out." Yelled Obi-Wan.

"That Was close." Anakin snapped "If that fighter goes throughout, fighters can't be far behind, so prepare the troops to evacuate." Obi-Wan ordered as clone fighters and drop ships started to land around the perimeter "Ahsoka and Leo should be back from their jungle patrol?" Anakin said getting behind one of the tanks.

"COME ON GRUNTS WE ARE LEAVING!" Rex yelled to the men as Plo Koon's wolf pack jumped out of the drop to cover their retreat

Across the battlefield and fence fauna Obi-Wan's voice came over both of their commlinks, "Padawans, where are you? What is your location?" he asked as the drop ship started to take off. "About six klicks east, Master. We've engaged the enemy and we've got them on the run." she replied as the gunner clone beside them kept shooting drones down.

"They're here to extract us. We're leaving!" Obi-Wan told them.

Leo heard the commlink too as he looked on the horizon seeing trees coming down "What?! We can't retreat now, Master. We've broken through the droids are retreating." she replied.

Obi-Wan wasn't liking her tone "We're outnumbered, you must evacuate that is an order!" he ordered.

"Master Skywalker taught me never to let up when the tinnies are on the run." she snapped as Leo kept fighting "Ahsoka, we need to pull back." Leo said agreeing with the masters.

"They are running back here to regroup with the main force- you are putting your troops' lives in danger, young one. You will get on the gunship when we arrive." he replied, cutting her off. Ahsoka looked down at Leo who had held his ground and raised his hand to stop the clones "Leo what are doing?"

Leo turned around "The Generals told us to-" Leo suddenly felt a wave of darkness wash over him and saw a shadow in the sunlight "Troopers retreat!" Leo yelled using the force to push them back as out of nowhere red lightsaber drawn appeared Told Skorr.

"Greetings boy." The Dark Acolyte said locking lightsaber "Ready for the third round?" He asked.

Leo growled behind his blade and in the pockets of his robes he felt the red kyber crystal start to call to him.

**…_.He hurt us, kill him- he must die..._**

"Hmmm I see you kept the kyber crystal and it's attuned you well done." Tol told him as he went on the offensive, Leo fell back then found his footing to swipe upwards "What?" Leo asked. Tol deflected his shot and they started to kick up a cloud of dust around them, the white and red lightsaber being the only thing that could identify them.

Ahsoka saw Leo engage Tol Skorr "Masters we got an issue." Ahsoka said "As I said padawan the droids are regrouping." Obi-Wan said as Anakin got on the gunship and it took off.

"No master it's one of the Dark Acolytes!" Ahsoka snapped "Troopers get in there." Ahsoka barked at the clones under her command "I don't have a shot Commander."

"Neither do I." Another one said as Leo and Tol Skorr fought in the dust cloud, up above four gunships came in and before they touched down Obi-Wan and Anakin jumped out suddenly landed in front of the droids. Obi-Wan ran right towards the fighting jedi and sith as Anakin hurried over to Ahsoka's tanks. "What are you doing?!" she snapped.

Anakin ran up and pointed back to the gunship "Get in the ship, now." Anakin ordered them. "Can't you see they're retreating Leo's in trouble?!" she exclaimed, incredulously. "They're about to overrun you, Ahsoka. You just can't see it and Obi-Wan's got Leo now follow orders and get in the ship." he ordered again. Ahsoka looked like she was going to protest again but decided not to,

Tol Skorr struck at Leo furiously but the boy had grown more nimble evading his blows "What's wrong Padawan stand and fight, is the Berserker been leashed?"

"No, just smarter." Leo said looking over Skorr's shoulder, the acolyte turned around to face Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi with his lightsaber coming right at him. Skorr raised his blade and caught its locking blades with him "Obi-Wan, or do you prefer Master Kenobi now." Tol Skorr said.

Obi-Wan's eyes got wide but he kept his lightsaber grip strong, Obi-Wan broke the lock and went on the offensive in a flurry of strikes and parry's before in a few short motions disarmed Tol Skorr "Master Kenobi, you always did lack in lightsaber prowess Tol." Obi-Wan said smugly.

Disarmed and lightsaber at his neck, another man would show fear or surrender but Tol Skorr only smiled "But I was always good at distractions Obi-Wan."

Leo heard the sounds of thousands of metal boots being stomped at once together, he turned around to see out of the forest was coming an entire droid army. "Padawan retreat now." Obi-Wan said to him, Leo obeyed and ran back to the gunships and Obi-Wan looked at Tol Skorr who raised both his arms "So much for the great tactician Obi-Wan, I'll see you around old friend."

"Count on it… old friend." Obi-Wan said turning around and retreating with the other Jedi onto the gunships.

The gunships took off with their side facing the Juggernaut just as it exploded and two AT-TE's were blown on their sides from the explosion. Ahsoka looked at Anakin with a depressed look and he returned the stare with a disappointed one. Leo noticed and for the first time since he met her, he didn't get the urge to comfort her and for some reason that made his blood run cold.

**_CORUSCANT_**

**_Jedi Temple Council Chamber_**

Like with Leo after Felucia the jedi had returned promptly to Coruscant and the Jedi Council to report, the twelve masters sat in judgement around Obi-Wan Anakin and the two padawans with Ahsoka standing head hung low "Padawan Ahsoka, do you feel Master Kenobi's description of the incident is accurate?" Mater Windu asked her.

"Yes, my Masters." she replied solemnly. "More to add, do you?" Yoda asked her seeing she was willing to talk more.

"I know I was wrong. I just got so caught up in my own success, I didn't look at the battle as a whole. I wasn't being disobedient. I just… forgot." she said, still solemn.

Anakin then stepped forward "Masters, this incident is my responsibility. Because of Ahsoka's advanced abilities, I forgot how young she is I gave her more freedom than I should have." Anakin said looking down at her which only made Ahsoka look even more depressed now.

"That may be, but it doesn't excuse what happened on Felucia. I think she needs some time away from the battlefield." Windu said sternly "On archive security, reflect on your actions you can, Padawan." Yoda told her softly.

"Guard duty- For how long?" she snapped in dread then recoiled realizing her outburst was taken note sounding worried "Longer now, we must discuss the return of Tol Skorr." Windu said sternly "Master Kenobi please stay, the rest of you are dismissed."

Ahsoka and Anakin bowed heading to the lift but Leo didn't move "Padawan Rock, something to say you have?" Master Yoda asked him.

"I do Masters, I would like it note I urged Ahsoka on to pursue the enemy and I did not retreat when Tol Skorr appeared even though Master Kenobi ordered." Leo said looking back at her then back at Master Windu. The Battlemaster gave him a cold glare but rather shrinking back Leo looked him dead in the eye "And… you think you should be punished as well?" Windu asked.

"Protecting the archives is not a punishment Masters, or fighting against overwhelming odds some call that bravery." He said looking right at Master Windu, the spiteful comment was just enough for Windu to pop a vein "Very well perhaps the archives will do you good as well."

Leo bowed respectful fists behind his back "Thank you Master." Was all he said before he walked over to join Anakin and Ahsoka in the lift.

Later Anakin and the kids were walking into the Jedi Library when Ahsoka spoke up, "I'm sorry I let you down Master." she said quietly to Anakin.

"I know. I was a Padawan not that long ago." he replied as they walked up to older jedi wearing dark gray robes around her waist with a beige top with baggy sleeves, she wore her silver hair up in a bun behind her head, but had a warm smile as the jedi approached her "Madame Jocasta Nu, this is Ahsoka Tano and Leo Rock."

"They are to be your new security officers until otherwise." he said to her as she turned around. Ahsoka gave a less than real smile as she greeted Jocasta, "Hello, Madame." Ahsoka said speaking for Leo and Ahsoka, both of them bowed.

"So good to meet you." she replied smiling before turning her attention to Leo "I don't believe I've seen you in our Archives before?"

Leo looked sheepishly at her as he rose "This is my first time in the Archive's Madam Nu."

"Let's show you around then." she said to them as Anakin smiled and turned away to leave.

Madam Nu led them along the library while speaking along the way, "There is more knowledge here than anywhere else in the galaxy."

"Master Kenobi says there are even texts here that are forbidden to be read." Ahsoka said looking around.

"The archives hold a great many secrets, it is true." She said before they approached the end of the library to see a large vault door "Beyond this door lies the holocron vault the holocrons contain the most closely guarded secrets of the Jedi Order." she replied as they came up to the end of the library and noticed Master Fisto walking up to the front of a small round door with a lock pad on the right side.

Jocasta greeted the Nautolan Jedi Master, "Good morning, Master Fisto." he returned the greeting with a nod and smile before turning his attention back to the door and using the Force on the pad beside it, a second later the door opened and he started walking in. "Can we go inside?" Ahsoka asked the librarian as the door closed and they started walking back the way they came as she replied.

"I'm afraid not, my dear, I haven't been inside myself for years. Only members of the Jedi Council are allowed access. Guarding the holocrons is one of the most important duties a Jedi can be given, Ahsoka; do you think you are both up to the task?" she asked them.

"Definitely." they both replied at the same time "Jinx owe me a cap of blue milk." Leo said as Ahsoka swore.

_UNDER CITY_

In the depths of the Coruscant Undercity, the nefarious and notorious Cad Bane was hiding out in an old hotel looking out the window as he listened to the over with the undercity light coming through slits in blinds "Excuse me for the interruption, as I was saying Bounty Hunter I have need of your services." A cloaked figure on a holodesk said up to Bane.

Slowly turning Bane took out the signature toothpick in his mouth and tossed it aside "I'm listening?"

"I have a need for a Jedi Holocron." The cloaked figure said.

Bane shrugged as if he thought it was a joke "To get a Jedi Holocron I'd have to break into the Jedi temple, it's impossible not to mention…. deadly." Bane added walking up to the small hologram.

The hooded man smiled behind the shadows of his cloak "Perhaps your reputation has been exaggerated?" The man said up to Bane, letting it know the offer wouldn't be given twice nor the chance for Bane to increase his reputation.

"I want a rogue class Starfighter with advanced weaponry, cloaking device the works-" Bane sat down at the table slouching in his hair over the hologram "Oh and triple my regular rate?" Bane said, tossing his hand in the air as if asking for a tip.

The mysterious benefactor replied quickly "Your fee is of no consequence I will also provide the means for you to gain access to the temple."

Bane smiled under his hat as he said "You've got a deal."

_JEDI TEMPLE ARCHIVES _

Back in the temple Leo looked through the library as Ahsoka walked around looking for something to do, "You know you could read something?" Leo said as he looked at a holopad scanning the old text transferred onto the page.

"Oh that so?" Ahsoka walked over and leaned over "How is the… the accounts Seventh Battle of Bothawui?" Ahsoka asked scanning the title of the text.

He looked back smiling "If you must know I find it rather interesting?"

"Well there seven of them so one had to be?" Ahsoka said, rolling her eyes walking off.

"And I wonder if they'll write about you, The what is it third Battle of Felucia, how Ahsoka Tano bravely stood her ground and-" "And nearly got all of us killed." Ahsoka said walking off arms crossed.

Leo got up from his chair following her "Whoa, whoa simmer down you always tell me not to take failure too serious?"

"I just wanted to win so bad?" Ahsoka said, stopping to look at him, she crossed her arms trying to comfort her "I know that feeling, you don't care what happens to you, no matter how much pain or how much we get knocked down, winning the fight is important?" Leo said walking next to her looking at the busts of jedi masters before he stopped frozen in place.

Ahsoka looked at him "What, you were going somewhere with that right, Leo?" Ahsoka asked when she saw the bust he was looking at, it was the face of Tol Skorr it looked back at him and Leo felt the kyber crystal whisper from his pocket.

_**He hurt us, he's a traitor...**_

When she saw it she shared the same shock that Leo had "Madam Nu!?" Leo called out, a short moment later Master Nu appeared from behind one of the archive walls "Yes Padawans?"

"This bust, this man his name is Tol Skorr right?" Leo asked.

"Indeed, one of the lost Jedi, all lost jedi who have gone missing in the service of the order are remembered here a place to honor them." Madam Nu said with a smile "Honor them, this is Tol Skorr he's a Dark Acolyte one of Dooku's thugs!" Leo barked.

Master Nu was suprised by Leo's sudden outburst "Leo take it easy."

_**Traitor, deceiver, monster usurper of our order...**_

"Take it easy, take it easy he almost killed us!" Leo snapped "What the hell is this a shrine to him?"

Madam Nu looked at Leo then at Ahsoka who had grabbed his arm "Apologize Madam Nu Leo didn't mean it."

"I would certainly hope not, though Tol Skorr is part of Dooku's league of Sith, he is not the only fallen Jedi we honor." Madam Nu said gesturing to another bust to show it was none other than Count Dooku himself.

Madam Nu led them both over to the bust "We are aware of Tol Skorr's treachery, but we remember the jedi he was and not what he became, I am aware of your confrontations with these acolytes Padawans, to face the darkness is a challenge all Jedi must face." She said calmly and softly.

"Padawan Rock, please follow me there are some texts I believe you should read that may better answer your question then I." She said beckoning him to follow her, Leo followed the old woman down the isles of datapad till they came to a back corner which had a gate around the shelves. The lock was a force lock like on the vault one that Madan Nu opened before walking in and coming out with a single book. An actual book with brown faded cover with ancient writing on its cover, "This is some of the earliest writings on jedi and sith, I shall approve you're reading of it as some of the Masters are wary of its perceptions."

"Perceptions?" Leo asked her.

Nu nodded "Indeed, within this book are the teachings of the Dark Side but it is simply knowledge which is neither good nor bad, it is how we use that knowledge that's important, please enjoy." She said before she walked off.

Leo took the book and approached a chair with a lamp next to it and sat down opening it. He started to flip through the first couple pages till he arrived at the table of contents, "Light and Dark, The High Republic Sith, The Meaning and Attunement of Crystals?" The last one caught his attention and he quickly found the page it was on and started to read.

_The original lightsaber crystals were a wide array of colors before the Order became more organized within itself. Jedi had to be formally recognized by more than just their robes and the easiest way to distinguish amongst them was the color of their lightsabers. In fact it is to be noted that many kyber crystals can contain information that can only be accessed by a Holocron or depending on the crystal other means, more on this in chapter eight. But the weapon of the Jedi and by association was the fallen Jedi known as Sith became more than just a symbol or rank, but also of particular specialization of the Jedi Arts and follows a such. _

_Blue, the most classic color of the Jedi, distinguished them as a Guardian, a defender and protector of the Republic and its people. Champions of light, the jedi knight who holds a blue lightsaber are excellent in combat and facing objectives head on with a physical connection to the force._

There was a picture next to the text of a white robes jedi knight in shining armor holding a blue lightsaber surrounded by enemies fighting valiantly.

_Green, unlike the Jedi Guardian the Jedi who has a green lightsaber are connected to the force on another level, they are more powerful within the spirit of the force, able to focus more on meditation and the power channeled into the will of the living force as Counselors and have great power in understanding others. _

A dark brown robed jedi was mediating with a lightsaber held above their head with the force glowing around them in a swirl of green light.

Leo looked over at Ahsoka, just at the moment when the light from the windows above them let in light over her, it illuminated her in a halo of light that brought a smile to Leo's face. She smiled back before waving at him and walking on with her duties.

_The next is Yellow, long before the Jedi Temple Guard became protectors of our sacred temple the wielders of the yellow lightsaber held a unique place among their Jedi brothers as Jedi Sentinels…._

"Sentinels…" Leo said reading it aloud, the drawing next to it showed a jedi in simple dark robe and tunic with a backpack, holding a yellow lightsaber. They were using it to light the way through what looked like ruins.

_...Sentinels were Jedi of curious ability, many would be considered pragmatists to combine the strength of a Guardian and wisdom of a Consular. While also accepting skills outside the order to achieve their goals, when Sentinels were recalled to form the Temple Guard not all returned and went onto explore the galaxy._

_Purple, truly the most unique among the lightsaber crystals is the purple lightsaber. As they were so rare no specific class or rank was given to jedi who wielded this color, many jedi who use the color found great skill in battle to hone their skills. Five Battlemasters have wielded purple lightsabers proving themselves capable but cautious warriors to the point of being stubborn._

The drawing for this color showed a jedi in beige robes with a hood holding their lightsaber of violet and a raised fist with broken stone around them.

Leo smiled at that one before he turned the page and his smile vanished, a dark pag showing a black cloaked warrior with red eyes holding a blood red laser sword holding their hand upside down with their hand almost closed into a fist across from them a person looked to be grabbing their neck as if something was around it suffocating them.

_Red, we must address the red kyber crystal, the symbol of the Sith Lords. To deny its existence would be shrinking from the darkness instead of facing it. Unlike the other lightsaber crystals that are grown naturally for thousands of years these red ones are in fact corrupted. Many sith carried corrupted crystals that they had imbued with the darkness within them, but the monster powerful Sith Lords were able to force grow kyber crystals by tapping into the most primal darkness within themselves to create kyber crystals attuned to them and to them alone. It must be noted that to create such a crystal is a sin against the force itself. _

Leo shut the book and looked up to see Ahsoka starring down on him "Leo?" She asked.

"Ahsoka?" He gasped sitting up "W-what is it?" He asked.

"I should be asking that you look like you've seen a ghost?" She asked him "No its just… just a really good book." He said patting it.

Ahsoka walked around his chair and sat on the arm rest "Reall, what about it?" She asked.

"Just reading about all the colors of lightsabers and their meanings, your green means your very strong in the force and the blue ones that General Skywalker and Kenobi wield show them to be great warriors?" He said being able to calm down as he talked to her.

"What about yours?" She asked him and took it off his belt, she turned on the white lightsaber "Did it say anything about white ones?" She asked.

Leo opened the book and quickly flipped over the Sith page and to the next where it was showing different types of lightsaber hilts "Um doesn't say about white ones, weird?" He asked.

Meanwhile in another part of the temple, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Windu and Master Yoda were gathered in a war room looking at troop movements on a map "Tol Skorr you say, again?" Windu asked.

"Indeed, it was him." Obi-Wan said sullenly "It's been so long since we lost him over Korriban." Windu said.

"Is there something I'm missing?" Anakin asked.

The Masters turned to him "He was a jedi but what happened?" Anakin asked.

"Shortly before the war began, we dispatched Tol Skorr to investigate Korriban, a task given to few jedi when we sensed disturbances in the force or in the galaxy when we… abandoned him." Obi-Wan said looking at a hologram of both Obi-Wan and Tol Skorr standing together if not for looking for it one would assume the two jedi were brothers, both had brown hair growing freely. Wearing tan tunics under beige robes "Ugh I remembered when you had that haircut, the mullet wasn't a good look for you Master." Anakin said looking at him.

Tol Skorr's hair was cut to the same length but he didn't have any facial hair, and was smiling too "Tol Skorr and I were both padawans together, when the war began we were spread so thin by the time we arrived on Korriban to find him he was nowhere to be found we assumed killed." Obi-Wan said.

"But it turns out Count Dooku saved him now he's loyal to him?" Windu said sternly as Master Yoda shook his head "Failed him we did."

Anakin shrugged "Seems like he made his choice and he's made a bigger mistake going after the padawans?"

Master Yoda was about to speak again when he felt something that made the great jedi stagger "Master Yoda what is it?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Intruders in the temple there will be." Master Yoda said getting all of the Jedi's attention.

Back in the Jedi Temple Archives Leo was still reading his book in the corner as Ahsoka saw another jedi was entering into the archive. A skrilling male with green skin in thick jedi robes with a high collar, Ahsoka recognized him as Jedi Knight Ord Enisence and approached. She smiled as they stopped walking before she greeted him, "Good afternoon, Master Enisence."

Enisence almost jumped out of his own skin "Good afternoon- young one." he replied walking past her giving her a brief glance.

"May we be of assistance?" she asked him, he stopped before replying, "No, thank you, my dear. I don't want to bother you." he started walking away, Ahsoka was never one to give up easily even when she was trying to be polite.

"It wouldn't be a bother at all, Master." she said before catching up and standing in front of him before speaking again, "Things are slow right now and I'm kind of bored I could use something to do."

"Oh uh I- uh…Thank you. I'll be fine on my own." he said after a moment before he stopped and continued on.

"You sure?" she asked again. Master Enisence spun around quickly, pointing a finger at her and causing her to take a step back. "Look, youngling. I said I was fine. Now let me go about my business." he snapped before walking off.

Ahsoka sighed. "I can't do anything right these days." she said to herself.

Master Enisence walked into the archives and sat down at a desk and started to type, he noticed Leo across the hallways reading his book. They exchanged a brief glance and Enisence smiled while Leo smiled back before returning to his book, the Master got up and moved to a different table out of view and started to type something into the computer "Bane I'm in."

Across the temple outside on its upper levels, Bane had flown up to the outer windows that were ray shielded with a techno service droid "Is this the right window?" the droid asked.

"Shut up Todo." Bane hissed waiting outside it.

Back in the Archive the supposed Master Enisence continued his or whatever it was's work "Shay shields are down." Bane heard in his comlink. The bounty hunter took out his gauntlet and primed his laser splicer "Todo help me slice through this window." he said as the ray shields went down. In only a few seconds Bane and Todo were in the vent shaft and started to slink through the corridors.

Inside the Archives Ahsoka was walking past a few Jedi tapestries when she and Leo both heard Master Yoda from their wrists communicator "Padawan, alert you must be sense deception I do posing as a Jedi, the intruder is find Master Jocasta, you must." he told before cutting the transmission. Ahsoka walked into the archive not paying any attention to Master Enisence hurrying over to Leo who was up from his chair "You heard it too?" Leo asked, seeing he coming over to him, he set the book down and rose to meet her.

"I did, any idea what the intruders are after?" she asked "Separatists maybe, they could be after the codes we use to decipher transmissions for war operations?" he asked.

Up in the higher levels of the temple, Bane and his droid had made their way to a large fan system "Do you have the fans off yet?" Bane asked seeing they were still going at full power.

Master Enisence continued to work through the codes "Working on it Bane I just need-" "Master Enisence it's good to see you again." Madam Nu had suddenly appeared behind him.

"No thank you Madam." Enisence said, changing the screen of his monitor, turning around to greet her standing quickly. "Alright then my dear, but I must inform you that Master Yoda has alerted us to possible intruders." she said. Enisence's eyes got wide.

"Intruders that is most-" Enisence suddenly pounced, attacking Madame Jocasta and threw her to the floor before he kicked her in the head to knock the old woman out. "Disturbing." he said kneeling down, he pressed his hands on her and suddenly turned from Master Enisence into the librarian herself. The imposter quickly dragged Nu out of sight behind the furthest back bookshelves and when he, she or whatever it was came back to the table they sat back down.

She quickly started to turn off the fans that were blocking Banes path "Fans are off bane." she said in Jocasta's stolen voice.

"What happened to your voice?" Bane asked "Change of plans, I'm the librarian now by the way be careful you've got two jedi near you but they're heading the different way." she said. Meanwhile Bane slunk down the fan vent and into the walls between the temples before coming to a cross in the system. "Todo this is the last wall before the vault." he said before starting to cut through with his laser.

"Make sure you get the lasers deactivated before we're through." Bane told his contact disguised as Madame Nu.

She smiled hearing it "Already done." she said leaning back in her chair. Unaware of the imposter, the padawans were walking along the columns of data before suddenly hearing Jocasta's voice, "Bane. The two Jedi have turned around and are making their way towards you." she said to the bounty hunter.

Leo started to run to the voice when Ahsoka stopped "What, you heard her she said Bane it has to be the bounty hunter." Leo told her

"I know, but we don't know what will happen after maybe if we find out where Bane is-" "We can set a trap" Leo said looking back over his shoulder where he could see the Jocasta impersonator.

Turning back to her "What's the play Commander?" he asked her to give her the formal title "Go up top and watch my back from above, I'm going to see check out this imposter."

Leo nodded and ran to the back of the archive and around to the opposite side and sprinted up the staircase to the upper balcony so he could look over the scene from above. When he peaked over he saw Ahsoka walking up behind the imposter normally trying to look casual and not startle her. "Madame Jocasta I wanted to let you know everything is secure in code spire. The intruders won't be getting there hands on our data after all." she said.

The imposter turned around slowly "That's… very good your Master will be proud." she said before turning around.

Ahsoka looked up to Leo shrugging softly, Leo rolled his hands to try and get her to keep the imposter talking "Any idea on what they could be after other then the codes?" Ahsoka asked.

the imposter put her hand on her ear to cover an earpiece that Leo spied. "My word I couldn't possibly imagine anyone foolish enough to break into the jedi temple."

"I'm in the vault, get out of there now." Bane's muffled voice came into the imposter's ear and didn't reach Ahsoka but she could see the fake Jocasta press her finger on the button to muffle it. Ahsoka drew her lightsaber immediately"Who are you, and what have you done with madame Jocasta?" Ahsoka demanded.

The impostor slowly got up. "The same thing I'm going to do to you." she replied before igniting Jocasta's lightsaber and turning around to attack Ahsoka managed to ignite hers fast enough to block in time.

The impostor jumped on the chair and the three traded a few blows before she ran over to another table. The padawan jumped after her and saber locked before she kicked them away, Ahsoka managed to get out of the way when the blade came down. She dodged a swipe for her head and backflipped onto a shelf, now blocking and jumping over the blue blade. She then attempted to direct Ahsoka's saber into the ground but he managed to follow her attacks, their backs soon collided against one another and they both twisted around. The impostor seemingly getting the advantage when she faced him first and attempted to bring the saber down on Ahsoka she sensed it and managed to bring his saber up in time from his hunched position before jumping back to catch her breath.

Ahsoka then jumped back in and flipped over the impostor's back when she attempted to cut her, then turned around to try stabbing the padawan. Only for Ahsoka to jump over her then kick her as she turned around. Ahsoka managed to start driving her back again and into the libraries main area, she then attempted to run only for Revan to hop out from one of the columns and Force push her to the ground before holding his blade to her neck. "You may have madame Jocasta's shape, but not her skills." Ahsoka said to her, holding up her green blade as well. The impostor's appearance suddenly shifted to reveal a Clawdite woman in a yellow jumpsuit who held up her hands, suddenly a puff of green gas came out the imposter's glove blinding Ahsoka and making her cough.

Leo watched the clawdite woman draw a blaster "No!" Leo jumped down from the balcony just in time to slice the woman's arm clean off making her scream as the wound was cauterized.

Ahsoka got her vision back and saw the woman writhing in pain on the floor before Leo turned to her "You good?" he asked "Fine, now lets see what we got here."

"Now that we've caught you, your going to tell us everything." Ahsoka demanded raising saber.

"I'm getting paid quite a bit, so if you think i'll talk your sorely mistaken." she spat holding her nub of an arm.

Ahsoka raised her hand "You will tell us what we want to know." She said waving his hand. "Nice try, but mind tricks won't work on me jedi scum." she said with a mocking smile. "We have to find out what she knows, but how?" Ahsoka said next to him ignoring the intruder they'd captured.

Leo scratched his chin when he felt the kyber crystal talk to him.

…_**..She defies this holy place, trespasser, deceiver she must pay for her transgression…. **_

He looked at Ahsoka, she was staring at him confused "What is it you got an idea?"

"I was just thinking… she must have done something with Madame Jocasta go see if you can find her while I call security." Leo said before she nodded and went off to look for the librarian.

Leo looked down at the intruder "This is Padawan Rock, to Temple Security we've caught one of the intruders in the Archives." he said as his com went out to all temple guards and even to Anakin and Obi-Wan. Anakin shared a smile at Obi-Wan "Ha that's my padawans for you saving the day like their old man." Anakin said, turning around to head to the Archive.

Putting his com away Leo looked down at the intruder "What are you after here?" Leo asked her "I'll never talk." she hissed up at him.

..._**Invader, charlottean, usurper of a lightsaber she must…. SUFFER**_

Leo raised his hand softly turning it over his fingers curling into a claw, back over at his book a gust of wind had found itself into the temple corridors blowing the book open all the way to the page of the sith with his hand out at the other man who was choking the smiths red eyes the same color as the kyber crystal in Leo's pocket. Leo looked down at the intruder with little to no remorse as she grabbed her neck starting to choke "What… are you after?" he asked coldly.

"Madame librarian, are you okay?" Ahsoka asked her. "I think I'm all right. We must call security." she replied as they all walked off back to Leo. When she came around the corner she saw Leo choking the intruder, her eyes early blew out her head before she looked back to Madam Nu who was coming their way. Rather than shouting out at him to stop Ahsoka rushed up behind him "Leo, Leo stop it."

… _**No, she's afraid she'll break or she'll die, we must save the order...**_

"I need to know what is after." he said back to her "We will but not like this, let the Masters have her- Leo!" Ahsoka's voice cut like a knife through the kyber crystals words making Leo snap out of the strange malevolent trance he was in. Leo dropped the intruder who gasped for air looking up at him "Holo-..." she had to gasp to get the air back in her lungs.

"Holocron, we're after Holocron." she said before she passed out onto the floor. Leo smiled seeing her pass out and looked over at an unsmiling Ahsoka who was starring at Leo with confusion "See it worked." Leo said looking back at Madame Jocasta as she approached behind her another Jedi who must have hung back during all the commotion came out from a corridor seeing everything was secure and decided to leave the archive. Little did they know that it was Cad Bane and in his belongings a single Jedi Holocron.

Later Jocasta, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Windu and Yoda were standing in the open holocron vault while the two padawans stayed with the Clawdite. "Our war operations, it was never about." Yoda said.

"Come on, changeling. We have a new home for you." Ahsoka said as she and Leo started escorting her out of the Archives.

The jedi stood outside the gateway to the vault conversing as the padawans escorted them away "What would someone want with a holocron?" Obi-Wan asked them. "Wait." the Clawdite said as the padawans let her turn around to face the other Jedi as Yoda and Windu exited the vault "Bolla Ropal." she suddenly said.

When the two Jedi Masters stopped behind Anakin and Obi-Wan. "What did you say?" Windu asked her. "Bolla Ropal, thats who Bane's next target is some Jedi." she said.

Yoda and Windu looked at each worriedly. "What's wrong, who's Bolla Ropal?" Anakin asked them.

Windu turned to Skywalker then spoke "He is the keeper of the Kyber crystal, the data on which can only be read by holocrons."

"What's on the crystal?" Ahsoka asked him. "A list of every known Force-sensitive child in the galaxy, the future younglings, the future of the Jedi Order." he explained, sounding worried which was very uncommon for the jedi master of stoicism.

"We have to warn him." Obi-Wan interjected. "That's going to be hard to do. He's out of contact, somewhere in the Devaron system." Windu explained before he took a few steps forward. "Seek him out, you must." Yoda said to them. "Ahsoka, Leo and I will set out immediately." Anakin said as Obi-Wan took custody of the changeling.

But before they could leave, Master Windu wasn't about to let something go "Skywalker you think it's time for other Padawans to return to the fight?" He asked.

"We aren't going to war Master, this is a Jedi affair and we three have faced Bane before." Anakin said confidently "Very well go and may the force be with you."

**RESOLUTE II**

Eventually, the three of them were back aboard the Resolute II on their way to chase down Bane as they walked through the ship's crew corridors. Leo and Ahsoka were alone without Anakin who was on the bridge "See nothing to worry about, we're back out on our next adventure." Leo said relaxed.

"I know, but what did you do back there to the intruder you were… torturing her?" Ahsoka asked.

"I was getting information about Ahsoka, she said she wouldn't talk so she needed some convincing and besides didn't I hear you put a lightsaber to Nute Gunray's neck?" He asked.

Ahsoka shot him a glare "That's different and I wasn't proud of that and it's… okay fine I made a mistake then, but what you did Leo… it's not the jedi way."

"The jedi way is what got us one Holocron short Ahsoka, maybe we need to look a different way sometimes?" He asked remembering the words of the book he read as he walked into his room aboard the vessel and shut it smiling at Ahsoka. When he did his smile vanished.

Reaching into the folds of his robes Leo pulled out the red kyber crystal he stared at, rubbing his thumb over the smooth service of the stone "I know you can hear me cause I can hear you what do you want from me?" He said looking at it but the Holocron was silent as stars shaking his head he walked over to the end table by his bed and set it down.

_**I already told you I want you…**_

Leo looked at the crystal the glowed even brighter "Why?"

_**Because the darkness is in you as it was in me.**_

The crystal grew brighter still "In you?" Leo asked as the light grew brighter before it was a blinding flash of light.

**...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

_Leo opened his eyes to see he wasn't standing aboard the cruiser anymore he was standing on a grassy fields, under a blue sky with white clouds in the distance he saw towering statues of men and woman and thick jungle swamp behind them but below the hill he witnessed absolute carnage two armies waged fierce war against each other one was made up entirely of gun gangs wielding spears and pikes and their enemy were humans wearing metal armor square shields in a wall formation stabbing at the gungans driving them back into the swamp flying blood red flags. "What is this… Naboo…?" He asked. _

"_Yes." A voice said behind him._

_Leo looked to the voice and saw a young man no older than Anakin standing beside him. He had deep brown skin like Master Windu and bore no hair but his head was covered in dark black tattoos. He wore a beige robe of a jedi but the front was open flowing around his waist when he turned Leo saw the man's eyes were blood red dark around his eyelids he held up his hand and Leo saw in his palm he was holding a kyber stone in his palm "You, your the Sith Lord from Naboo?" Leo said backing away. _

"_I was and I am your future Leo Rock." _


	14. Cargo of Doom

_Naboo…._

_Long Ago….._

_Leo was walking across the desolate battlefield thick clouds of smoke from flames covered a once lush field now turned over with mud and dead soldiers. Hung and warriors covered the battlefield with the human sith legionaries tangled among them. The young jedi looked around the mix of alien and human blood forming streams of death in the mud before he turned around to see the spirit of the Kyber Crystal standing over him menacingly. _

"_The sith… invaded Naboo?" Leo asked him._

_The spirit smiled which made a chill run down Leo's spine "I invaded Naboo in the name of the Sith." he said walking past him leaving his dead soldiers behind. _

"_But Naboo is-" "Such a peaceful elegant world now?" he asked, turning to Leo the spirit of the kyber crystal said._

"_Before it belonged to the Gungans they even had a different name for it, I changed it of course to Naboo because it was my world now." he said walking into the jungle. Slowly the swamp around them faded and Leo was transported to the top of a large Sith Temple in the heart of the jungle, massive swaths of acres had been cut down with the gungan population in chains dragging massive stones and bricks around constructing statues and walls as Sith Overseers cracked harsh whips. _

"_The weak are meant to be dominated by the strong as dictated by nature Leo Rock." the spirit said standing next to him on the temple "My armies laid waste to the Gungan warriors by right on conquest I took my spoils, this is the true power of the sith, domination through strength." he said holding up the kyber stone in his hand as it started to glow. _

_Leo looked at him closely, the man was a sith clearly by his red eyes pale complexion but he noticed on the back of his head was faded scar "Who were you?" Leo asked._

"_I was you, I was once a jedi." _

SELCUMAI SYSTEM

Leo awoke from his sleep aboard the Resolute with alarms blaring, Leo shot up and ran to the door looking out to see clones running through the hallways before he joined them. Up on the bridge Anakin and Ahsoka were aboard the Resolute in a brutal space against a fleet of Separatist frigates over Selucami. The Republic shot down a frigate ship when a transmission from the planet finally came through the transmission. A clone sitting at one of the consoles put it through just as Anakin and Yularen walked up to see it. A lone clone trooper appeared on the projector shooting his blaster before addressing Anakin, Yuralen and Ahsoka.

"General Skywalker, our base has been overrun!" the clone cried out in pain as he took a blast to the shoulder before continuing to shoot. "There's no possibility of evacuation. They've taken General Ropal and the holocron memory crystal!" he finished as he pushed a droid away that attempted to grab his blaster, then started firing again refusing to yield.

The dread was apparent in his voice as the clone kept fighting "Do you know where they've taken them?" Anakin asked him urgently.

"Sorry, sir we tried to stop them, but they left the outpost-" he was cut off when a droid grabbed his helmeted head from behind and yelled as the viewer cut off. "Wait a second there's too much interference." the clone beside Anakin said before turning his head to face him and continue.

"Transmitter's been destroyed at the source, sir." Anakin looked at the admiral, "We have to find out what ship Master Ropal is on." he said urgently as the bridge doors opened with Leo running in.

The jedi and admiral snapped their heads over to him "Leo there you are."

"I'm sorry I'm late General." Leo said looking to his General with regret "Well your here now thats all that matters."

A few moments later the Resolute was close to finishing off one of the two remaining Separatist cruisers when the admiral spoke, "General, a Separatist command ship is fleeing the battle." he said before the three Jedi walked up to the monitor.

"You think they have Master Ropal on board as a prisoner?" Ahsoka asked everyone.

"I'm sure of it." Anakin replied before turning his attention to Yularen.

"Admiral, intercept them before they can jump to hyperspace spaceI'll ready the troops for boarding." Anakin said walking to the exit with both padawans tailing him.

"'Boarding we have no boarding craft we were prepared to land on the planet, not to board another ship you can't be serious!" the admiral asked, shocked at the incredulous plan.

Anakin looked back smugly with the Skywalker grin "I am, Admiral but thank you for your opinion. Now target their hyperdrive we don't want them getting away." Anakin said as the Resolute closed in on the last Separatist cruiser and opened fire, managing to destroy one of it's thrusters.

Aboard the Separatist frigate, Cade Bane was at the commander's chair when the ship lurched more violently than all of the other blasts "What was that?" Bane asked one of the droids.

"We've lost the hyperdrive sir." One of the droids said, Bane swore "Looks like the Jedi are gonna board us guess you'll get your fight after all Assassin?" Cad Bane said looking over his shoulder, standing behind him in a dark cloak was the sith assassin Asajj Ventress.

"Then you best go attend to our guest, before the Jedi can rescue him." Asajj said "I'll be right back lady." Bane said, tipping his hat.

The three Jedi made their way to the lower hanger a few minutes later, Rex and three other clones turned their attention to the Jedi. "I've rounded up three brigades, sir. Where are we going?" the clone captain asked Anakin as he and the other two stopped in front of the clones.

"Were going to board a Separatist frigate, rescue Master Ropal and recover an archive holocron." the Knight replied.

"We have no assault craft, sir, only a couple of fighters and the Twilight." Rex said.

Anakin gave him a look that made Rex realize they were doing another crazy plan "Waiting for orders, sir." he said.

And the plan is?" Ahsoka asked looking towards Anakin, who looked back at her. "Just curious." she said innocently.

Leo snickered quietly at her cover attempt, Anakin looked around in thought and seemed to notice something before he and the others turned their attention to Yularen when they heard his voice, "I came down to see if I could be of any help, General Skywalker."

"Actually you can. Activate those walkers, admiral." Anakin said, turning his head and pointing towards three AT-TE walkers. "You are not thinking of using those to transport the clones to that frigate." the admiral said a hint of worry in his voice.

"Well they are pressurized…" Ahsoka said holding her chin and catching on to her master's plan. Rex seemed to catch on as well, "And they're equipped with magnetic feet." he said before looking at Anakin and continuing, "Good call."

Ahsoka smiled "Master, you're a genius." Ahsoka complimented, smirking.

"Those walkers are designed for terrain, not space!" Yularen exclaimed not wanting to believe Anakin's plan.

As usual Anakin ignored Yularen and turned to Rex. "Rex, load 'em up." he said with a smirk before turning his attention to the padawans. "Let's go you two!" he said as the three Jedi took off towards the middle walker.

Before Leo and Ahsoka could get on, Rex came up with two bags one green and one red "Hold on you two, it's pretty cold out and space not to mention impossible to breath put these on." He said dropping the bags at their feet. Leo and Ahsoka unzipped them to see two helmets and space suits for them to wear, Ahsoka's was bright red like her and Leo's green Leo started to put it on over his robe in silence, his lack of conversing with everyone wasn't going unnoticed.

"Leo you okay, you've been really quiet?" Ahsoka asked him "I've just been thinking on what you said." Leo told her.

"Aboooout?" Ahsoka asked as she slipped into her space suit "About what happened in the library, I may have been too hasty?" Leo said.

Ahsoka looked at him and said, "You used the force to…." Ahsoka didn't finish her sentence so Anakin wouldn't overhear "Let's talk about it after okay?" She asked him.

Back aboard the Separatist frigate, Master Ropal was being dragged across the brig floor by two super battle droids into a cell where Cad Bane was with a squad of droids holding shock staff as the droids through Master Ropal into a suspended cell with force damining restraints holding him up. One of the droids, a magna guard stabbed Ropal in the chest with his shock staff making the jedi yell through his teeth in pain before it stopped. Another droid approached him and grabbed the rodian by the jaw.

"You will remain conscious of Master Jedi, the bounty hunter has some questions for you." the droid said before letting go. "Attach pain receptors and give him a full dose of XCC3." the droid ordered one of the magna guards who answered him in droid speak.

The droid walked over to a machine in the corner as Bane approached Ropal and held up the Holocron just as the droid twisted a dial. A surge of electricity went through Ropals body making the rodian yell in pain as Bane spoke "Just open this little box of yours so I can get the information out of it and your suffering will end."

Weakened from the pain Ropal raised his head and in a defiant but weak voice he said "You will… never get me to… open… the Holocron."

"Unfortunately I don't have time to discuss this with you." Bane replied "Hit him again full power." the Duros told the droid at the torutre device.

The surge of pain going up and down the Jedi's body made him thrash in his restraints and one of the battle droids walked up to bane "I'm not sure his body can take much more of this?" the droid pointed out.

"Are you a medical droid?" Bane asked.

"Uh no?" the droid said back as if it weren't obvious.

Bane shoved the droid back "Then sit back and shut up."

"More power." Bane said as Ropal started to scream, his yells filled the cell until his suction cup fingers went limp and the droid turned off the device powering it down.

The droid who had spoken up looked at the controls "His vitals have ceased functioning." it said in a low tone, almost sounding remorseful or just programmed to. Bane made one of the magna guards stab him with his shock staff "Clear." Bane said.

The quick shock to the heart gave no effect, and when be didn't come up Bane had them drop the jedi master. The same droid came up with a scanner going over Ropals body as it knelt down "He's dead." it said.

Bane sighed "Guess I'll need another jedi to open this, but next time I'll use a different method."

Back on the bridge, Asajj Ventress had taken command watching the Jedi cruiser overhead. "The jedi cruiser is directly overhead. Mistressing out cannons will be ineffective at that angle." one of her droids said.

"Then they intend to board us, prepare to repel them and ready my ship." Asajj said turning around and heading to the exit "Bounty Hunter have you managed to open the Holocron?" she asked.

Bane who was leaving the prison quarters responded "No, the Jedis are dead I still don't see why you can't get this thing to open it assassin?" Bane asked her.

"You can use the force can't you?" he added "The Holocron is a jedi Holocron and do I look like a jedi?" she almost insulted him. He'd even suggest "Don't get your knickers in a knot, we can get the Jedi to do it for us."

"You have a plan then?" Asajj asked him curious.

Bane smiled "Always."

Outside above them, the Republic ship opened its hanger doors with each Jedi wearing a space helmet, both padawans now had on the red and green space suits. Ahsoka had opted to put on the full suit with her pinkish purple loin cloth over her belt as she climbed onto the "Alright everyone hold on." Anakin said as the drivers deactivated the magnetic clamps on the tank's feet.

The tanks flew through the void of space toward the frigate heading straight down to the frigate. "This is the craziest thing we've done." Leo said holding onto the tank.

Ahsoka smiled over at him "And the day isn't even over Hahahah." Ahsoka laughed.

The moment the AT-TE's landed on the frigate they opened fire on the droids atop the ship and moved forward. A few minutes later they reached a trench on the ship and vulture droids came out and landed before firing Anakin and hispadawans deflected any blasts that at them before jumping at least fifty feet away from the walkers and toward the vulture droids. Once landing they started cutting the flying droids down. Rex and the clones soon caught up and started helping as they all reached a small airlock door. "Artoo!" Anakin called out to the droid as it beeped before landing near a droid panel.

The door slid open and they jumped in, after the Jedi took off their helmets and the clones were all inside the ship they took off towards the bridge while cutting down droids in their way. A few minutes later they made it to the bridge and after breaching the door, started to cut down all the droids in the command centre.

"Don't shoot! I'm not the commander!" one of the four remaining droids cried out and raised its hands in surrender before pointing at a droid beside it

"He's the commander!" it exclaimed, one of the clones walked up beside Anakin before shooting the one being pointed at.

"Guess I'm the commander now." it said sounding depressed as another clone shot it as well. "Artoo, see if you can find Master Ropal." Anakin told it as the droid went up to a panel and plugged into it before the three Jedi deactivated their sabers and Rex walked up to them.

A hologram of Cad Bane appeared on Artoo's holo-projector. "One authentic Jedi Holocron and the memory crystal I was after." he said before Artoo cut off.

"Oh, no! He has both pieces now." Ahsoka said worriedly.

"Rex sends a squad and lockdown the hangar bay and destroys all the escape pods, no one gets off this ship." Anakin ordered.

…_**. she's coming….**_

"Yes, sir." the captain replied, saluting before signalling all but two clones to follow, Leo looked around feeling something in the force, the kyber crystal stuffed in his pocket.

"Artoo, you have to find Master Ropal. Hurry!" Ahsoka said urgently and Artoo beeped. A few seconds later the ship suddenly started to shake, Leo and the other two managed to grab the consoles around them to stay standing before Anakin's com went off and the admiral's voice came over it "General Skywalker. One of the engines on that frigate has exploded, I caution you to avoid the AFT section." he warned.

"How much damage is there?" Anakin asked him. "I suggest immediate evacuation." the admiral replied. "Not until we get what we came for." Anakin said before cutting off.

Anakin, Ahsoka and Leo ran down the hallways of the ship cutting droids down along the way all the way down to the holding cells. Rex and the other clones caught up to them and they reached the holding cells they split up to look for Ropal. "Master! I found him." Ahsoka called out a few minutes later, her voice sounding sad.

The other jedi immediately took off from the cells they were at and ran up to her at the same time.

Ropal's dead body was face down on the floor, Leo walked into the cell and knelt down turning him over, Ropals eyes still open after death before Leo shut them, his hand slowly clenched into a fist. Rex and the others ran up to the three. "Rex has some men take Master Ropal back to the Resolute." Anakin said remorsefully. The clones somberly obeyed gently lifting Ropal out of the cell and carrying his body away with an escort for the fallen hero.

"We might not be able to find the holocron in time, Master but if it's destroyed with the ship Nute Gunray won't get it either." Ahsoka said.

"Maybe, but I'd rather return it to the library personally." he told her Ahsoka looked unsure "And get the man responsible for this." Leo growled at Anakin and she looked at him "Vengeance is not the way of the jedi Leo."

Leo turned to his master "And what about Justice sir?" he snapped.

Anakin was a bit surprised by the outburst given Leo's usual concentrated demeanor "They invade our home, steal our sacred relics and now kill our brother-" Leo asked his anger rising "Bane must pay for this."

"I understand your frustration Leo, but the Holocron comes first, understand soldier?" Anakin asked speaking to Leo as both General and Master, Leo felt Anakin's strong gaze and released a breath "Understood sir."

The ship shook again and the lights went out. "Come on, Artoo." Ahsoka said solemnly as the droid beeped and turned it's flashlight on following Anakin with Leo beside her "Leo, what was that?"

"You heard me, Bane has to pay." Leo said squeezing his lightsaber tightly.

The Jedi turned their sabers on for extra light for the group then started making their way down the corridor when Artoo beeped again. "Artoo says we're close. Stay sharp." Anakin told them.

Leo turned his head around when he heard a loud 'banging' noise and held his saber up to see Rex holding his helmet. "Switch to night vision." the captain told his brothers before they continued walking. Artoo gave a low worried beep as they continued walking. A few seconds later a person ran across the end of the corridor and Artoo gave a startled beep. "There!" Anakin exclaimed as they all started running after the person. After running for a bit they chased the unknown person into a room only to find them gone. The lights suddenly started turning on revealing at least twenty battle droids and ten super battle droids with Bane having lured them into the trap.

"Welcome Jedi, we've been expecting you." he said smirking before aiming his blaster at them and yelling, "Kill them!" The droids opened fire on them and the clones returned fire while the Jedi deflected blasts. Anakin started running towards the Duros and deflect his blasts when he started firing at them. "Let's make this a bit more interesting." he said with a smirk before pressing a button on his wrist. "Lock down!" he exclaimed. Everyone in the room except the Duros and droids started to float.

Rex realized it as he kept deflecting. "Magnetics! You were trained for this!" one of the clones called out as he and some of his brothers magnetized their boots.

"Artoo! Turn the gravity generators back on!" Ahsoka told it as she and Leo held their lightsabers up to deflect the droids shots from the floor, the droid gave an affirmative beep before activating it's thrusters and flying forward. Anakin propelled himself forward and attempted to slash the bounty hunter, only to miss when he ducked. Bane turned attention away from Anakin and shot one of the floating clones in the back.

The clone upside down on the top of the room firing his chain gun shot a droid that accidentally hit a cannon shell causing it to come loose and start floating. "Check your fire! Hit one of those shells and this fight is over for all of us!" Rex warned them.

A few clones managed to make it back to floor while Bane managed to kill two more clones still floating. Ahsoka slashed the head off one droid before using it's body to propel herself forward and onto a super battle droid before cutting it's blaster arm off and stabbing it. Meanwhile Anakin and Leo jumped on disabled droids and came upon two super battle droids. Anakin slashed the blaster arms off them before Revan cut them in half. Anakin propelled himself towards the bounty hunter, cutting off a droids head in the process before blocking a blast from him then kicking him in the jaw. Causing him to float away and lose the holocron. Anakin almost had it when Artoo managed to turn the gravity back on causing everyone still floating to hit the floor.

Unfortunately for Leo, Ahsoka was floating above him when the gravity turned back on. They both groaned in pain from the fall before she pushed herself up causing their faces to be inches apart.

"You good?" Leo asked her "For the moment." She said as she got up and helped him to his feet.

In the chaos of the fall Bane shot at the chaingun clone, causing the place he was standing to break. Anakin used the Force to stop the clone from falling, unfortunately this meant he had to stop chasing the bounty hunter. "We'll get him, Master!" Ahsoka called out as she and Leo ran past Anakin. "No wait! It's a trap!" he yelled as they ran out of the room and into the corridor after Bane. "Leo, Ahsoka wait- We'll take him together!" the Knight yelled out again.

After a few minutes of chasing Bane, he finally stopped in front of a blast door and the padawans stopped a few feet away from him. "You thought you could get away?" Ahsoka asked him.

Leo and Ahsoka held up their lightsabers green and white to him.

"You're not much of a challenge, younglings, we got you right where I want you." he said with an evil grin "We?" Leo asked when out from behind them walked Asajj Ventress, she dropped her cloak and took out both her red lightsabers turning them on "Ah Skywalkers pets." she said when she looked at Leo

Leo and Ahsoka got back to back, Ahsoka facing Ventress and Leo looking straight at Bane who took out his blaster's "Bane's mine." Leo hissed "That means I'll handle the hairless harpy." Ahsoka said looking at Asajj who smiled gleefully chuckling "Oh you'll handle me padawan, please do?"

The two padawans kicked off each other to attack, covering their flanks for the other Bane retreated back into the hallways drawing Leo drefelcing his lightsabers shots as he tried together close. Ahsoka and Ventress did the same.

Ahsoka had to dodge twice as fast with Asajj using twice as many sabers as her. Ventress hacked and slashed high then low as Ahsoka moved around her using her small size to her advantage. "Pathetic." Asajj said using the force to push Ahsoka right into the wall before she tried to stab her. Ahsoka barely dodged before she caught the red lightsaber as Asajj dragged the other one toward her cutting through metal.

Leo looked back sensing she was in peril "Go, stop him!" Ahsoka yelled at him as Bane ran down the hallway. The padawan ran after Bane shot back at him, Leo either dodged or deflected it before he reached out with the force to trip Bane. Bane rolled over shooting but Bane jumped over his lasers trying to stab down at Bane, the bounty hunter rolled out of the way when Leo landed driving his lightsaber into the floor.

Bane swiped Leo's leg out from under him and tried to hit Leo but the boy caught his arm and rolled around him putting his arm into a lock with his legs trying to break it. Bane could feel his arm was about to break before he turned on his flame thrower, Leo let go. Both of them free Leo came at Bane again swinging his lightsaber in a fury "I'm going to KILL YOU!" Leo barked.

"Not today." Bane dodged evading him before he raised one of his gauntlets and hit Leo with his grappling hook wrapping Leo up before he hit the floor dropping his lightsaber. Leo thrashed and kicked before Bane turned on his gauntlets taser electrocuting Leo into unconsciousness.

Back with Ahsoka and Ventress, the padawan had managed to get out of the scissored position and was on the defense from Ventress. Being pushed back Ahsoka held her own sword up to parry one blow only to have to dodge another with both the siths lightsabers coming at her non stop. Until Ahsoka caught both of Asajj's lightsabers with one block "My turn." Ahsoka said before she broke the lock and did a backflip kicking Ventress right in the jaw.

Ventress fell back and grabbed her jaw spitting "Impressive, a shame you weren't here when Master Ropal needed your help?"

Ahsoka raised her lightsaber when out from behind the corner Anakin appeared "Ventress." Anakin hissed running up to join his padawan "What took you so long Skyguy?" Ahsoka said.

"Where's Leo?" Anakin asked her not taking his eyes off Ventress "Went after Bane." Ahsoka said Anakin looked at her a moment and that's when Ventress pounced. Like a viper she moved swiftly between both jedi like a whirlwind of red lasers swords she used one lightsaber in a regular grip, the other reverse to catch their lightsabers. Cutting he way to the other end.

"As much fun as it would be to stay and play Jedi, you have a choice." Ventress said turning off her lightsabers "Chase me or the bounty hunter which will it be?" She said before she ran off.

Ahsoka started to run "She's getting away."

"No." Anakin said grabbing her "We came here for the Holocron, she doesn't have it but one day Ventress will get what's coming to her." Anakin said before they turned the other way to go after Bane and Leo.

Meanwhile, Leo came too inside his hands bound by glowing metal restraints when he tried to get the force to break them he was hit with an electric shock.

"Oh I wouldn't do that. Those binders have been specially designed for Jedi." Bane said standing over him, the second he saw him Leo jumped "Graaa!" Bane kicked him back down holding Leo's own lightsaber like a trophy before electrocuting him again.

"The more you struggle the tighter they get, impressed now youngling?" he asked grinning evilly with two super battle droids behind him. "Not really." He replied groaning before he got up, Bane stepped back and activated a laser wall between him and Leo.

Explosions were suddenly heard from outside the room. "Enjoy this while you can, bastard, this burning boat is about to finish us all off." He said glaring at him. "We have time, the bond between a Jedi teacher and his apprentice is strong." he said smirking

"Which means my friends will be coming for us any minute and when that happens I'll kill you." He growled, continuing to glare at him. Banesaid nothing as he placed his lightsaber on his belt. "Let's see if we can get him here any faster." The bounty hunter said before pressing a button on his gauntlet, at first Leo cried out in pain as he was electrocuted. Bane watched Leo fall down to a crouched position before he looked up grinding his teeth Leo looked right at Bane "I-will...aaarrr KILL YOOOOOOUUU!" Leo yelled.

Across the hallways, Leos pain and anger made Anakin and Ahsoka stop dead in their tracks. Ahsoka grabbed the sides of her head "Aaahh what the… is that Leo?" She asked shocked "Come on we need to hurry." Anakin said, feeling it too.

A minute later Bane let up on electrocuting him when his com beeped and a droids voice was heard, "Sir a Jedi is coming! He looks very unhappy." it said before it cried out and two lightsabers were heard outside cutting the droids to pieces. Bane pressed a button on the side of the cell and an energy shield came up separating them.

"You're friends have gotten the message." he said to the smoking padawan before he stood up and ran at the shield only to yell in pain as bouncing off it, falling back onto his back as Anakin and Ahsoka walked into the room lightsabers ready.

"You have nowhere left to run, bounty hunter." Anakin said.

"Let me worry about that, Jedi." Bane said as he pressed a button "If I activate this control the outside airlock will open and he'll be sucked into oblivion do you think you can kill me and then save them before they are pulled out into space? It's a horrible way to die." he finished giving Anakin an evil smirk.

The Knight and padawan had worried looks. "Besides isn't negotiating the Jedi way?" the bounty hunter asked with a smirk still on his face. The two super battle droids took a few steps forward with their blasters ready,

Leo looked over at the door and the controls then back at Ahsoka and Anakin deactivated his saber "What's the plan Master?" Ahsoka asked before Anakin held up his lightsaber in surrender, turning it off, Ahsoka did the same.

"What do you want?" Anakin asked quietly.

Bane held up the holocron then spoke, "This holocron carries information I've been paid to collect, I can't unlock it, but you can." the droids took a few more steps as he continued speaking "The last Jedi who had it wouldn't open it I hope you don't make the same mistake." Anakin looked at Leo briefly before Bane spoke again, "We don't have much time. Hurry it up, Jedi! Or they die!" he threatened, hovering his finger over the button.

"No, General don't do it!" Leo snapped behind the laser wall getting to his feet Anakin gave them an apologizing look. "I won't let you die." he said in a defeated tone. "Master?" Ahsoka asked if this was the best plan of action..

Anakin placed his saber on the floor. "We'll deal with the holocron later," he said after standing back up. "How touching." Bane mocked chuckling too picking up the lightsabers now having three.

Leo looked at him "You remembered what I told you on the speeder?" Leo asked Bane "That you'd kill me how ironic."

… **we can't lose….**

"No, that you think I care about my life." Leo said walking toward the airlock controls "Oh no." Ahsoka said seeing Leo had that Berserker look in his eye.

"Leo stand down." Anakin ordered "I have to respectfully- disobey!" Leo said smashing his restraints into the controls making them shock him. Bane's eyes got wide as Leo fought through the pain and hit the controls again "Leo Stop it!" Ahsoka snapped at him. Bane's smile grew too before he started to laug.

… **The Holocron is ours…**

"Well here I thought I had jedi figured out but this one, oh it's going to be a shame to pull his corpse out of the cold void of space to bad that's not in the cards." Bane said holding up his controls he turned the power on Leo's restraints up high enough to make wild streaks of lighting coming out of him he tried to smash the controls to break again but it was too much.

Leo's eyes rolled back as he yelled before the restraints on Leo's wrists broke from a fuse being blown and he fell back out of consciousness onto the floor, Ahsoka sighed in relief.

"Now where were we?" Bane asked, looking at the jedi.

Anakin and Ahsoka kneeled on the floor as the bounty hunter placed the holocron in front of him then closed his eyes "Ahsoka we need to focus."

"O-okay Master." Ahsoka said looking at Leo's body. A few seconds later the holocron started to hover in front of Anakin and her before it spun slowly before the outside cube split into multiple pieces showing the inside.

"Now we'll combine this holocron with the memory crystal I acquired from your dead Jedi friend." he said, taking the crystal from his belt. They placed it into the holocron and it started to glow before he put it back together in a different shape with the corners twisted. Leo started to come to see the Holocron get unlocked "... no." He said getting up

The bounty hunter grabbed it and held it up to inspect it "My employers will be most pleased." he said when he heard metal moaning. Bane turned around to see Leo was on the floor with one arm up focused on the door controls "Imbecile you'll die." Bane said pressing the control on his wrist but the broken cuffs on Leo's wrists made the whole attempt worthless when the metal on the airlock door indented.

"LEO!" Anakin yelled.

Suddenly his and Leo's saber flew towards the jedi knight and he ignited them before slashing at the two droids Bane pressed the button on his wrist and the airlock opened, Ahsoka used the force to get her lightsaber back but the air suction sent Leo out into the airlock "NO!" Anakin screamed before he looked at Bane. The bounty hunter turned on his rocket boots to blast out of the

The bounty hunter activated jets in his boots and flew out of the room with the door closing behind him and deactivating the ray shield trying to suck out both Ahsoka and Anakin. The two Jedi drove their lightsabers into the floor to try and stay put, thinking quickly Anakin used the force to shoot the airlock giving them a moment to breath and mourn.

When the airlock was sealed they both looked at it, Anakin squeezed Leo's lightsaber in his fist "Master Leo he…" "He knew the mission we have to keep going."

"But Master Leo he-" "I know Ahsoka but we need to go after Bane, now!" Anakin snapped at her before they ran out of the airlock fighting tears.

"Rex I hope you found us a ride off this bucket!" Anakin said to the captain over his com as they kept running.

"We've got to leave now, the reactors gonna blow! We cannot wait!" Rex replied as he ran into the hanger.

"You'll have to I'm going after that bounty hunter." Anakin told him before cutting off, once they reached an intersection with four ways Ahsoka stopped. "Master, wait! Stop!" she tried to call out to him as her master kept running forward.

"This is the way to the hanger!" she said, pointing to the right corridor where Rex and the other clones would be waiting. "We must get off the ship, now!"

Anakin stopped to face them. "I can't let Bane get away not after this." he said, determined to find the bounty hunter. "Patience!" she yelled before lowering her voice, "Master. Patience I know you want to avenge Leo, I want to too but he wouldn't want us to throw our lives away like… like..." she said more softly her voice trailing off. Anakin looked at the floor in thought before looking back up at them fighting to control her emotions.

"You're right." he agreed softly before walking back to her he tried to console her by putting hands on her shoulders "We'll get Bane, but first we survive."

Once entering the hanger they noticed a few clones shooting some remaining droids. As they ran towards the shuttle they stopped when noticing Bane getting shot by a trooper and fell over the railing and behind some crates. "Come on! Come on!" Rex called out to the three Jedi. They managed to jump onto the ship as it started to lift off. The shuttle hovered near the clone that shot Bane who held his wounded arm and jumped onto the ramp, kneeling on one leg. "Trooper, did you get the holocron?" Anakin asked as he helped the clone in. "No, sir." he replied in a deep voice.

"I'll get it, Master." Ahsoka said jumping on to the ramp. "No time." he said stopping her before turning to Rex. "Rex get us out of here." he ordered.

The clone in the pilot seat took them out of the hanger and towards the Resolute II as the Separatist frigate exploded behind them. "We didn't get the Holocron, we failed to save Master Ropal and… Leo." Ahsoka said sitting down in a seat

"Is this a win?" She asked her Master, Anakin was doing something different he was reaching out with the force.

"Master?" Ahsoka asked him.

Anakin opened his eyes "Bane's dead, but I can still feel him and… Leo?" Anakin said. "What?!" Ahsoka snapped.

"Leo's alive?" Anakin said running to the cockpit Ahsoka followed and so did Rex when they did the Jedi looked out of their shuttle to see Asajj Ventress's ginivex-class Starfighter with the bright red cockpit becoming clear for them to see Asajj holding an unconscious Leo up against the class before she waved them goodbye and jumped into hyperspace taking Leo with her "Ventress but how?" Ahsoka asked looking at Anakin both of them realizing Leo would be a prisoner of the Sith.


	15. Children of the Force

_RESOLUTE II_

_Hanger_

The clones and jedi came out of their stolen shuttle quietly into the hanger "Rex get a message to the Council, told them we failed to recover the Holocron and… to Master Krell about his padawan being captured." Anakin said looking over at Ahsoka who was walking off, arms crossed.

"Of course General." Rex said remorsefully.

Anakin then turned to his padawan "Ahsoka, I know you feel like we lost Leo again but he always comes back but this time we need to be strong for him." Anakin said putting his hand on her shoulder "But that witch has him and we can't do anything."

"Not at the moment but for now tend to our men." he ordered as they noticed the clone who had killed Bane was limping off holding his side.

Ahsoka looked up at her Master finding some resolve to put her grief aside for the present "Of course master." Ahsoka said before she followed the trooper, he had a backpack in one arm and the other holding his wound.

"Hey, trooper are you alright?" she asked trying to get his. attention but the clone ignored her and kept walking. "Must have been hit in the head." she joked to herself.

She started to run after him before she came around "Wait you're injured!" she pointed out and stopped in front of him. "That might be serious." she said concerned before grabbing his arm gently and inspecting it. But when she took his hand away she saw the body glove was stained not with red blood of a human but green.

"You're no clone!" she realized, her eyes widening.

"Ahsoka!" Anakin yelled out in warning when he saw the fake clone attack her. Unfortunately the warning was too late, the 'clone' now revealed as Bane quickly kneed her in the stomach causing her to grunt in pain and fall to the ground before Anakin could reach them. Bane rushed to a V-19 starfighter hoping in and turning it on before Anakin leopard on the top trying to stop him from getting away. Anakin hit the bounty hunter in the helmet knocking it off to show his duros face.

Unfortunately the Knight had no choice but to jump off when Bane started exiting the Resolutes hanger "Admiral! Lock down the hyperspace rings, hurry!" he barked urgently over his com as the two padawans and clones in the hanger caught up to him.

"Could possibly have happened since I last spoke with you?" the admiral asked, not understanding urgency in Anakin's voice. One of the hyperdrive rings started to activate. "It's Bane! Lock those rings, now!" he ordered but just as the admiral saw the ship it locked into a hyperspace ring and disappeared out of sight "We'll have to inform the council." Anakin said quietly to the padawans before starting to walk away.

_Leo was sitting inside a large temple at the top of the cleared out swamp, the interior was made of hardened clay turned to stone. The floors were covered in rugs and pillows as he looked at the back of the Sith Spirit who was writing something down at a low desk wearing red and black robes. The spirit was sitting on a cushioned pillow like Leo "Why do you keep bringing me here?" Leo asked looking out one of the four windows of the room, three of them were balconies the largest a doorway that he walked toward. _

_Outside the temple were smaller buildings none as large as the pyramid, beneath it stood a small but growing city state. Leo looked down to see the swamps rivers and pools were being fed into controlled rivers and aqueducts. Ancient star fighters and ships flew around and landed at the temple. On the furthest reaches he could see Sith Legionaries whipping gungan slaves as they constructed new buildings. _

"_It is where we can talk, boy." The spirit said setting down his writing utensil. _

"_Talk about what?" Leo asked, turning around. _

_The spirit rose brushing his robes to flatten them "About you of course, I've watched you from here for some time."_

"_Here, you mean… we're inside the kyber crystal?" Leo asked, the sith smiled softly seeing he had the boy's attention "There are many ways to power some consider unnatural, it took me years to perfect this spell but studying the ancient sith teachings and powers of the night sisters made me wise." the Sith said holding up both hands one surged with electricity and the other showed green flame behind him the kyber stone rose and came to his hands before it started to glow. _

_Leo looked at the stone when suddenly an explosion struck the city from above, "What was that!?" Leo snapped as out of the clouds soared different starfighters and warships. _

"_The Republic of course." the sith said calmly walking out the temple with the stone in his hand. On the outskirts of the city Leo heard roars and shouts as an army of white toga warriors wielding pikes with elaborate headdresses ran out charging the gates of the city and at their vanguard "...jedi?" Leo asked._

"_From the time before your so called High Republic, I knew they'd come for me eventually but we Sith always return like the ones who captured you." _

"_What?" Leo asked. _

Leo awoke shooting up only to be pulled back down with a chain around his neck like a leash, he was in a cramps dark cell of some kind. He looked up to see bars over his head and reached up to them trying to figure out where he was, a dim light was above him in another room but thats all "Hello, General Skywalker, Ahsoka?" he asked when he saw he had no communicator on his wrist. No answer came but his voice did echo making him think the room above him was much larger than the one he was in. He heard the sound of hissing and something crawling up above him, suddenly scurrying across the bars was a small yellowish furry lizard. It had four limbs with three claws on each arm, a tail and shorts tubby head with beady four eyes that glared at the boy before hissing and running off.

"So you're finally awake?" Leo heard a voice say over him, Leo looked up through the bars when out of the shadows appeared Asajj Ventress.

"Let me out of here." Leo barked trying to use the force but this time nothing happened, not a shock.

Ventress smilled "Noticing anything different?" she asked before she raised her hand holding one of the lizards by the tail "Fascinating creatures the ysalamiri are, they evolved to on a planet were their own predators use the force to hunt as a result they can dampen the powers of force wielders." she said before she through the lizard at Leo.

He felt the creature claw at his face before he slammed it on the floor and stomped on it "You won't be escaping anytime soon Padawan."

"Neither will you once General Skywalker comes for me."

"Such loyalty and faith, it is time you received a proper education in what it means to be a jedi."

Asajj held up her hand and was holding some kind of control suddenly the walls of Leo's hot cell slit open to reveal heat lamps on all four sides that began to glow bright orange sending heat against him "You think a little heat scares me?" Leo asked.

"Bravery I can't wait to see it falter." Ventress said eager for a challenge.

_CORUSCANT_

_Jedi Temple, Council Chamber_

An hour later the two Jedi were in the council chamber and after Anakin informed them of what happened Obi-Wan spoke, "It is most unfortunate that Bane was allowed to escape, again." he said in a quiet voice.

"With access to the names and locations of the most Force-sensitive children in the Republic." Windu added.

"Inflict devastating damage on the Jedi Order he could." Yoda said.

"We've discovered Bane's working with the Separatists." Anakin told them as Obi-Wan scratched his beard "There are thousands of children on that list which will he go after first?" Obi-Wan asked them.

"Small chance there is, through the Force, the Council may detect them." Yoda said getting an idea as Ahsoka watched the masters discuss and debate behind Anakin.

There was a chorus of nods and agreements, Ahsoka looked up at Anakin who could sense her anxiety of wanting to bring up something they were yet to discuss "Masters, a moment?" Anakin asked getting their attention and Windu seemed to know exactly what it was: "Padawan Rocks abduction by the Sith Assassin, is troubling."

"Still no word from Master Krell?" Ahsoka asked hoping she wouldn't get snapped at again for speaking out of turn but she felt it was a relevant thing to ask "Master Krell is currently engaged in the Sullust sector, he understands the capture of his padawan to be a serious matter but has decided to remain in the Sullust sector till his campaign is finished."

Anakin was uneased by the answer "And what attempts to track and rescue him?"

"We've summoned Master Quilian Vos to aid in tracking down our lost padawan Skywalker, Padawan Tano please meet Master Vos at the landing pad to assist in his mission." Ahsoka wanted to sigh in relief but kept her emotions hidden "Of course Masters, thank you." She said bowing with Anakin and Obi-Wan.

The council broke the session and everyone began to file out, when the last elevators reached the main temple floor Ahsoka started to head to the landing pad "Padawan Tano?" Master Secura said from behind.

"Master Secura?" Ahsoka said greeting her "If you wouldn't mind I'd like to accompany you to greet Master Vos and speak for a moment?" she asked.

Ahsoka smiled "Of course."

The two female jedi started to walk through the temple on their way to the landing pad when Aayla finally spoke "How have you been since I saw you last?"

"I'd like to say I'm okay, but with Bane's escape and Leo's capture I'm anxious at best." Ahsoka said

"It can be difficult but as Jedi we must persevere onward, and what of Leo I sensed unease from you when we were at the Council you worry for him?" Aayla asked.

Nodding as if it weren't obvious "Of course I do, Leo's my best friend we've fighting side by side how could I not?"

"Is that all?" Aayla asked "Well no?" Ahsoka said scratching her arm "It's just the way Master Skywalker looks out for me and Master Kenobi may not show it he cares for Anakin but Leo's Master….?"

"Master Krell?" Aayla asked "How can be so dismissive of Leo it's as if no one ever showed Leo kindness he's so shut off sometimes." Ahsoka said venting her frustration.

"Sometimes, but he does talk?" Aayla asked.

Ahsoka nodded up to her "A few times, but when the bounty hunter trapped him Leo was going to try and kill himself just so Bane couldn't get the Holocron and now he's Ventress's prisoner?" Ahsoka said.

"I understand your frustration, not all jedi are alike as no doubt you will find out when we meet Master Vos." Aayla said it sounded a bit exasperated as they walked out onto the landing pad outside the temple. When they reached the pad itself a gunship was flying toward them when the doors open and someone jumped out nearly twenty feet above the actual landing pad.

"Yahooooooo!" The jumper cried before he landed to reveal a aged man with dark dreadlocks, tan skin and a yellow stripe tattoo across his face. He had a strong jaw like Anakin with greenish robes without any sleeves and a tattoo on his muscular bare right arm. He wore Jedi armor over his shoulders like Anakin too but without the long tunic of the robe. His was shorter like a traditional jedi when he saw the two women greet him and he smiled.

Ahsoka and Aayla bowed "Greetings Master Vos."

"Ugh hate how that sounds, makes me feel old, speaking of old look at you Padawan." Vos said hands on his hips rolling his eyes before he smiled up at Aayla.

"All grown up Aayla still makes me wish for the good old days when it was just the two of us." Vos said walking up patting her on the shoulder, Ahsoka rose up confused before she started to see it.

Aayla noticed "Padawan Tano allow me to formally introduce Master Quinlan Vos, my former Master."

"So your Anakin's padawan, I've heard you're pretty good with that lightsaber." He said complimenting her.

"Thank you Master Vos but I think we should get started on finding Master Skywalker's other padawan." Ahsoka said being direct.

Vos nodded "Right, take me to his room will you?"

"Um okay?" Ahsoka said still put off ease but Vos' relaxed demeanor.

When they reached the padawan dorms more specifically Leo's room the jedi walked in "Why are we in his room?" Ahsoka asked.

"Master Vos has the ability to track beings through things they've touched with the force." Aayla said.

Vos smilled "If I was a bounty hunter I'd have made a fortune that's for sure." Vos said as he started to look around he felt the bed "These are fresh sheets no good here." He said walking over to the trash bin in the corner.

"So we'll find Leo by going through his trash?" Ahsoka asked.

Aayla smiled at her dismissal "It may be unconventional but Master Vos has never failed to find his charge."

Vos emptied the trash and found a few papers and so on till he pulled out an old tattered cloth stained with brown. "Ugh What's that?" Ahsoka asked thinking of something else when Vos said in a serious tone"Blood, perfect?"

Quinlan took one sniff of it with his nose and the force when suddenly the Jedi Master received a series of visions from the blood. In a split second Vos saw Leo on Ryloth and almost everything that transpired the fight with the dinosaur like creature, the first time he faced Karoc and Vinoc, to killing Karoc, to Kasel being killed in turn by his brother. Then Leo fought Vinoc to the death before throwing him off the tower, to fighting Bane then to getting sucked out into space when he saw it. Leo in a dark cell with the heat lamps burning him slowly making hims sweat perfumery his skin starting to redden and crack before Vos dropped it.

"... whoa?"

"Is everything alright Master Vos?" Aayla asked, Vos turned around like he'd seen a ghost "Not if we don't find this kid fast, Ventress is torturing him."

The sense of dread was apparent on all the Jedi faces "Did you see where they were keeping him?" Aayla asked.

"No, there's something clouding my vision around him but he's somewhere with heat and a lot of it." Vos said, scratching his chin.

Ahsoka's eyes grew wide with fear when her comlink blinked "Ahsoka, the Masters and I have figured out which targets Bane is after, meet me in the hanger we're going to Naboo."

"Understood Master, I'll meet you there right away." Ahsoka said before she looked up at the other two masters "Go on Ahsoka, we'll make sure to bring Leo home safely." Aayla said before Ahsoka left to go meet her master.

Vos on the other hand knelt down and looked at the old bandage grimly "Something troubles you Master?"

"What if we find him and he doesn't want to come home?" Vos asked her giving the knight a look that meant more then just what he said, picking up the bandage looking at her.

"You think he will turn to the dark side?" She asked "If we don't hurry he'll have to face it alone and right now from what I've seen the darkness is winning."

_LEO'S CELL_

Leo was still in the oven like device, the metal bards between the heat lamps and his cells were starting to glow from the heat. He squeezed the red kyber crystal in his fist focusing in on it trying to reach something, anything and the vision wasn't much better.

_The kyber crystals spell was worse then the hot box Leo was in, the Sith's growing city was besieged on all sides by the Ancient Republic hoplites and the Jedi Knights leading them against the Sith legions. Leo was on the top of the temple with the Sith Lord who looked calmly down at the invading forces. _

"_I don't understand why are you showing me this?" Leo asked him. _

"_To show what's to come when you learn the truth." The Sith Spirit said holding up his hands and with a flick of his wrist the entire planet disappeared like smoke before them and Leo was alone in the darkness before new shapes appeared from the darkness. Light began to flow in and Leo saw where he was in an empty chamber with bronze pillars and pale stone. "The Jedi Temple?" Leo asked when he saw a brown robed jedi standing behind him. _

_The jedi removed his hood and turned around to reveal the spirit, his skin was unmarked by tattoos and his eyes were a deep hazel "Indeed brother, as I said I was once a jedi." The spirit said walking toward him smiling. _

"_But you're a Sith?" _

"_The first jedi were also the first sith." He said casually tucking his hands in the folds of his robes. _

_The spirit started to walk outside the chamber and Leo followed him into a very different temple he was used to. Instead of the metal reinforcements the temple was made more of stone with rugs on the floor. Plants grew up and down the temple pillars with birds chirping inside flapping their wings as ancient jedi walked past them Leo watched the jedi they were more like ghosts then the spirit next to him who was solid. _

"_If you were a jedi how did you fall to the dark side?" Leo finally asked "The big question, it's quite simple I've had epochs to think on it and the answer is a great deal more complicated than any Jedi will tell you." The sith said walking up a flight of stairs, Leo followed him outside onto a balcony overlooking ancient Coruscant. Now great skyscrapers stood over the city and the levels of undercity had not yet begun to rise. _

_Leo started to get agitated "Then tell me simply, I'm tired of you stringing me along." _

_The Sith spirit turned and looked at him then past him, out of the doorway they had just walked came four robes jedi "They feared me, my own brothers." The spirit said as the other jedi drew their lightsabers. _

_Leo watched the sith spirit drop his robes to reveal he had already started to tattoo his bare chest, brown leggings covered his legs with boots. Leo watched the sith spirit hold up a lightsaber "So if their fear was so great, I chose to be their monster." The spirit hit a lightsabers switch on and a blue blade sprouted from its emitter before red lighting sparked from it and it turned red followed by the spirits eyes turning red "They will always fear those who are stronger than them." Then the duel began. _

Leo snapped back into the hotbox when the gate above his head opened, he looked up and the cell floor rose from the vents into the room above. The yslamari lizards clawed around the floor keeping his force powers down, the doors opened and Leo looked to see Ventress walk in and saw Leo on his hands and knees one of them, the hand holding the crystal clutched in a fist. She walked in and stomped on his fist making Leo yell through his teeth as she broke the bones in his hand making him drop the crystal.

Bending over Ventress picked it up "I wondered who you were talking to, an enchanted kyber crystal but what is a crystal without a lightsaber?"

NABOO

Once reaching Naboo, Ahsoka and Anakin boarded a gunship that took them down to the royal palace of Theed. The skies were blue with whtie clouds in the backdrop of the lush blue landscape. The pilot landed them in the hanger and they exited the ship with Captain Typho and a gungan ambassador waiting for them. "General Skywalker, they told us you were coming." Typho said as he, a Royal guard and a Gungan stopped in front of them.

"Has the Gungan family been notified?" Anakin asked him walking quickly. "Yes, Captain Lunker here is in charge of the operation." The gungan gave a nod to the jedi as the captain continued.

"He will take you to Jan-gwa city." Typho added

Ahsoka spoke up then "Let me take the lead, Master, I've got a score to settle." she said placing her fist in her other hand. "Alright, go with the Gungan, I'll be there shortly." Anakin said before she and Lunker started to leave.

She followed Lunker out of the palace to a speeder waiting to take them to the gungan village "Wesa very honored to have Jedi Knights here onceah again." Captain Lunker said offering her to get in first.

"Thank you Captain, my Master told me when the Jedi came here last time to fight the droid army alongside your warriors." She said as she got in, Captain Lunker got into.

"I nota speak'n about The Battle with the Mechaniks, long long ago in a time far away Dark jedi come here, he enslave my people and that's when Jedi come to free us." Ahsoka's eyes got wide as Lunker told her as they drove out of the city.

"A Sith Lord here, on Naboo?" Ahsoka asked "Long dead Sith, now we live in peace with Naboo and with Republic."

_LEO'S CELL_

A surge of electricity shot up around Leos neck from the collar as Ventress walked around him holding a remote controlling the shock collar the anti force lizards were cleared out of the room. Before Leo was a series of rusted and blackened metal pieces surrounded by the crystals "Construct a lightsaber." Ventress ordered.

"... no." Leo spat.

Ventress electrocuted Leo again and his body locked out and coiled but didn't yell "You know…. I've been getting electrocuted a lot lately so this tickles hahahaha." Leo chuckled Ventress turned it on again before she walked out of the room keeping the electricity on leaving Leo to suffer.

She walked out of the hallway onto metal walkways of Mustafar, a river of lava was beneath her as she walked to another chamber where three cradles were set with a droid walking around them. Infants shrieked and cried as a ghostal hologram hovered over them "Darth Sidious, my lord." Ventress said kneeling before her.

"Assassin, you have yet to break the boy?" Darth Sidious asked.

Ventress kept her head bowed "Not yet my lord, but he is close the kyber crystal he received on Naboo has started to turn him but I seek your guidance in how to proceed."

"Pain will only strengthen his resolve, it is the mind where you will break him." Sidious said looking over the stolen children.

"Thank you my lord, he will fall or he will die." Ventress said before rising and staying bowed to back out of the room heading back to Leo. When she entered the torture chamber, Leo was on the floor passed out from the torture, Ventress used the force to make Leo rise to his knees "Awake." Ventress said.

Leo's eyes shot open as she held him "You have strength there is no doubt, but you have fear show it to me." she said using the force to reach into her mind, Leo felt her fingers sink into his mind and a pain he'd never felt before "Rrrrrrrrrraaaah-ah—AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRHHHHH!"

_NABOO_

_Gungan Village_

Bane moved through the jungle after coming from Rodia moving into the village at the dead of night. He used his rocket boots to climb up a branch on a tree and spy the targets house by the time they reached the city it was nightfall after finding the youngling named Roo-Roo Page her mother was inside as Bane snuck up to the window and looked inside to see the gungan mother put her in the cradle. When she left the room, Bane snuck through the window approaching the cradle when he drew the blanket he found not the baby but a doll when the doors behind him burst open.

"Don't move, silmo!" Ahsoka ordered. "You're not the child I was expecting to find." Bane said.

"Obviously." Ahsoka deadpanned glaring at him. "You're quite clever- But naive!" he snapped as he turned around and shot a line that wrapped around Ahsoka's lightsaber before pulling it out of her hands and shooting at her.

Ahsoka managed to duck and roll behind cover just as Bane activated his rocket boots and tried to flee, she retrieved her saber just as bane jumped out the window. Ahsoka followed him and grabbed onto his ankles as he flew away the extra weight from the teenager caused Bane's rockets to cut out and they ended up falling on top of another roof, with Bane losing his hat in the process, Ahsoka triumphantly stood over Bane as she held her blade at him and Anakin smirking with his arms crossed. "Looks like I win." she started with the smirk still on her face, Bane only glared at her knowing he was surrounded.

After placing binders on him as Gungan Guards and Naboo security forces took him away, Ahsoka noticed Roo-Roo being carried in her mother's arms as the mother walked over to them while Anakin started moving Bane.

Roo-Roo cooed and clapped when she noticed the padawan. Ahsoka smiled at the baby and walked over to them before rubbing the side of the child's face gently. Revan couldn't help the smile that creeped onto his face as he watched Ahsoka with the baby.

"Your daughter is safe now." she assured the mother. "Do you really believe that?" Bane asked them. Anakin roughly pushed Bane forward and while padawans went back to playing with Roo-Roo before they had to leave.

Bane smirked as Anakin pushed him toward a gunship "I heard your boy didn't die, that the Assassin got him, if he's not dead already I bet worse wonder how much he knows you abandoned him." Anakin pushed him on the gunship "Get him out of my sight."

_RESOLUTE II_

_Hanger_

Once they returned to the Resolute a few clones escorted Bane to a cell while Anakin contacted the council, informing them that Bane was caught before he and his padawan checked the bounty hunter's ship. Only to find nothing but heavy modifications not long after, Windu and Obi-Wan arrived from a transport. Anakin and the two padawans waited outside the cell and watched through the ray shield as the two Jedi Masters attempted to extract information from Bane. "We tore the ship apart. There's no sign of the holocron or the kids." Anakin told them as Windu and Obi-Wan apporached them.

"Did you check the ship's navigation records?" Windu asked him.

"They were wiped clean before he landed on Naboo." Ahsoka replied instead while Obi-Wan held his chin in thought.

"We'll have to use the Force to make him talk." Anakin said. "I don't think Bane is that weak." Obi-Wan replied though sounding unsure. "Maybe if we all concentrated on his mind together." Ahsoka suggested. "Using the Force to compel a strong mind to cooperate is… risky." Obi-Wan said, still sounding unsure.

"Their is a danger that his mind could be destroyed in the process." Windu warned.

"Well, do we have another choice?" Anakin asked already knowing the answer.

The four Jedi walked into cell with the two padawans behind the other three, Bane looked at them in mild amusement before Anakin closed his eyes and raised his mechno-arm. "You will take us to the holocron." he said.

"Jedi mind tricks don't work on me." Bane said, smirking. "You will take us to the holocron." both Obi-Wan and Anakin said at the same time.

"Forget it!" the bounty hunter snapped.

"You will take us to the holocron." all three older Jedi said simultaneously. "I… I won't!" Bane growled out trying to fight off the mind trick.

"And you will take us…" Windu started before he and the other two finished simultaneously, "Now!",

"I will take you…" Bane started before suddenly shaking his head. "No! Get out of my head!" he yelled, Ahsoka looked worried as Bane started shaking his head in pain. The three Jedi finally stopped. "Perhaps we should try again!" Anakin suggested his voice taking on a threatening tone. "I… I've had enough of that. I'll take you to the holocron, you'll get your children back." Bane said finally giving in.

With Bane now cooperating the four Jedi plus Artoo and a few clones escorting Bane made their way to the hanger and walked towards a V-6 shuttle. "The Chancellor wants a report on our progress." Windu said to the others.

"Tell him this is not Republic business, it's an internal Jedi affair." Obi-Wan replied.

"I'm sorry to disagree, but as long as the Jedi are acting as a military we should report to the Chancellor, even on internal matters such as this." Anakin said, folding his arms as they stopped walking, Obi-Wan wrapped his arm around Anakin's shoulders and smirked.

"Well then I guess you just volunteered to go, give the Chancellor my regards." he said, patting Anakin on the shoulder before continuing to walk to the shuttle.

"Now wait a minute-" Anakin started before Windu cut him off.

"I agree, report back here when you are finished." he said before continuing to the shuttle as well "This could be a trap, Master you sure you don't need us to go?" Anakin asked him.

"Of course it's a trap, Skywalker." Windu replied. "I will contact you when we find the children." Obi-Wan said as they kept walking towards the shuttle. "What if they don't find those kids?" Ahsoka asked her master. "They will, Snips." he said.

_CORUSCANT_

_Office of the Chancellor_

Once the Resolute exited hyperspace above Coruscant the two Jedi left the ship and soon made their way to the Chancellor's office. "Anakin. It is good to see you." Palpatine greeted with a warm smile.

"Your excellency." Ahsoka said politelyPalpatine's gaze lingered for a few more seconds. "Excuse us, chil." he said to her before placing his hand on Anakin's shoulder and leading him into his office, the door closing almost immediately.

When she had a moment alone, Ahsoka held up her comlink "Master Secura, Master Vos any report on Leo?" She asked.

Ahsoka's coms erupted into the sound of music and fighting, across the city in its underbelly known as the Under City both Aayla and Secura were in the middle of a large cantina in the epicenter of the galaxy's largest bar fight. Aayla was back to back with Vos as they fought against pirates, smugglers and mercenaries throwing kicks and punches.

"Ah padawan Tano- whoa hold on." Vos caught a man by the arm and threw him over his shoulder onto the bar "Well it's kind of a dead end here." Vos said as Aayla jumped up and spin kicked two men at once.

Ahsoka's eyes were wide as she listened "Actually, we were able to learn who Bane's private accounts are, we've traced the wiring to the Atravis sector, we'll investigate it later." Aayla said as she grabbed one man and through him at her master who piled him into a table.

"Stars I missed this." Vos said before he picked up a chair and ran off yelling like a madman.

_MUSTAFAR_

_Leo's Cell_

Leo fell to the floor again pushing himself as hard as he could as if he were trying to crush the floor out under him his arms were like jelly trembling under his own weight. "Construct-a-lightsaber." Ventress hissed, raising him up again Leo could barely stay conscious but he wheezed "Go to hell…"

Ventress suddenly snapped taking out her lightsaber she drew back as if to kill him before she sliced the chain around his neck freeing him from the floor. Using the force she hurled him at the nearest wall and then off it "I've been to hell Padawan and let me tell you, it's overrated to the pain I will cause you." She said dropping him again sheathing her lightsaber.

She raised her hand again to compel his mind to open, Leo started to scream as she began to twist it "Your Masters have betrayed you."

"No…" Leo moaned "You've been abandoned by Krell, Skywalker his pathetic Padawan." Ventress said as Leo began to bleed from his nose.

"Aaahh...aaaaahhhh." Leo tried to speak up but he could only moan "You are all alone in the darkness, you are drawn to it like a moth to flame embrace it." Ventress said before she stopped at the point of breaking him.

He fell over breathing hard, spitting out blood that had dropped into his mouth when he looked up at her "Ah…. ah…"

"What's that?" Ventress asked, kneeling over him "Ahsoka… her name is Ahsoka-" Leo said before he spat in her face. Ventress shot up, wiping her face seething with rage. Leo smiled at her with bloody teeth and giggled at her frustration but instead of attacking him again Ventress smiled back.

"Very well you would have been so much better willing but we do it the hard way." the door to the cell opened and a droid walked in holding a strange star shaped mask with a red eye at its center pushing it toward Leo's face.

_RESOLUTE II_

_Hanger_

After Anakin was done speaking to the Chancellor they headed back up to the Resolute II and once onboard back to where Windu told them to report too. In the meantime they decided to check Bane's ship again. While Anakin checked the cockpit, Ahsoka checked underneath the ship and Artoo plugged into a droid panel on the side of the ship. "Well the piloting systems are clean, checked the landing gear?" Anakin asked her.

She rolled out from underneath the ship. "Double checked it. I have the feeling Master Windu and Obi-Wan could've used our help." she said, sounding bo.

"Look I don't like being out of the action either, but somebody's gotta do this job." he replied. "And it always ends up being us. What about Leo, Master Vos and Secura haven't contacted us yet?"

"Master Secura and Master Vos are skilled Jedi, and Vos is the orders best tracker if anyone will find Leo it's him."

_HOTH_

Both Aayla and Secura were walking across the snows of the frozen world of Hoth "How in the stars could be here Master?" Aayla asked him, wearing a thick brown coat with a fur collar around the hood, Vos wore a similar one but green both of them sporting patches of the jedi order.

"Aayla, Aayla, have I ever led you astray?" Vos asked her as they heard a roar turning around to see a Wampa standing over them.

They spun around lightsabers drawn "Never gonna let me live this down are you?" Vos asked her "Never." Aayla added.

_RESOLUTE II_

Ahsoka glared at him before rolling back under the ship. "Huh. Bane picked up a lot of volcanic ash on his travels." Ahsoka noticed. Artoo beeped.

"What have you got, Artoo?" she asked as she rolled out from under the ship, Artoo beeped again as Anakin brought up a view of Bane's stops for fuel. "Looks like Bane erased his navigation records, but not his fuel computer." Anakin said while Ahsoka sat on the opposite wing looking at the computer.

"So?" she asked. Anakin started pressing a few buttons.

Anakin smiled "Well if we cross the list of planets we know he visited with the distance he traveled." he said before Ahsoka realized, "We may be able to calculate where else he went."

"That's a new one." she said, sounding impressed.

"It's an old Jedi trick we use to track down smugglers." he said before pressing on different planets. "Okay, let's see… Glee Anselm… Rodia… Mustafar… Naboo…"

"Mustafar… The children are on Mustafar." Anakin said. "How can you tell?" she asked, not believing him. "There wouldn't normally be any children on Mustafar." Anakin pointed out.

"Which means it would be the last place we would suspect." Ahsoka finished for him. Anakin jumped out of the cockpit. "Well. Anything to get out of this hanger." he said as they walked towards Twilight. After getting onboard, Anakin started the engines and lowered the ship out of the lower exit then turned the ship around before entering hyperspace.

_MUSTAFAR_

A few moments later they exited hyperspace near the volcanic planet. "We're coming up on Mustafar." Ahsoka said as she piloted the ship from the co-pilot seat. "Artoo, begin the landing cycle." Anakin told it as he sat in the pilot seat. The droid rolled over to the panel beside her "There's an abandoned mining platform on the side of one of the magma rivers, oh that's nice." She said sarcastically.

Down below on that same supposed abandoned mining platform, Asajj Ventress was standing on a balcony watching the ship approach, she held up a small holodisk and turned it on "Skorr the Jedi are almost here." She said down to the hologram of Tol Skorr standing arms crossed.

"Then we scuttle the base, what about the boy?" Skorr asked, looking over her shoulder "He's no longer a problem."

He looked at Ventress as she passed "Let us get ready to welcome our guests."

Outside as the Twilight landed, the two Jedi plus Artoo walked down the ramp. "You sure this is the right place?" Ahsoka asked her tone unsure.

"I sense something, Master and I don't like it." she said in an uneasy tone.

"It's the Dark Side, Ahsoka this is the right place." Anakin replied his tone was also uneasy, Anakin and Ahsoka were becoming concerned at this before they started to follow Artoo into the compound. The mine was practically abandoned until they heard the shrill shriek of an infant "The younglings!" Ahsoka said taking out her lightsaber and running down the hall with her master already holding his lightsaber.

The three moved throughout the compound till they burst into the room empty cribs. "We're too late." Ahsoka said, shaking her head.

"I can sense they're still here." Anakin said before the doors opened and out walked Asajj Ventress holding one of the infants in her arm "Ah so glad you could make it Skywalker." Asajj said.

Anakin and Ahsoka raised their lightsabers to meet her as she cradled the child "Hand over the youngling and tell me what you've done with Leo." Anakin growled.

"Ah so protective of the children, but who will protect you from them." Asajj said as another door opened and walked out in full black garments like Dooku's was Leo, his face was hidden behind the indoctrination mask that looked right at the two jedi.

"No." Ahsoka said before Leo raised his hand and summoned his lightsaber of Anakin's belt to his hand, turning on the white blade.

Anakin turned his attention and rage on Ventress "You'll pay for what you've done."

"Perhaps but not today- catch." Asajj suddenly through the infant into the air, Anakin dove forward to catch him before he hit the floor and started to wail.

"Boy, kill them." Asajj said before she turned around and shut the door behind her escaping, the only part of Leo's face that wasn't covered was his mouth which opened with a raspy gasp before he attacked.

Leo obeyed without question striking right at Anakin before Ahsoka jumped in between them "Leo stop!"

"He can't hear you, it's the mask." Anakin said looking at the indoctrination masks one red eye "We need to find a way to get it off." Anakin said as Leo went on the offensive, striking at Ahsoka as Anakin held the youngling in one arm.

Suddenly they heard a whirring noise, just as they held up their sabers a droid's eyes lit up with the other baby in it's arms. The child started to cry as the droid moved forward. A second droid revealed itself on Anakin's right, also holding a baby before attempting to punch him with it's free arm. The Knight managed to move around it in time. "Be careful- with the- younglings!" he warned while dodging more punches. "I know! I know!" she exclaimed as she tried to fend off Leo's continuous strikes.

A warning suddenly started going off as the floor started to break apart, the sudden shake in the compound made Leo fall off balance and Anakin used the force to push him away "Sorry about this Leo.". A big part of the floor suddenly broke with one side going close to the lava. Ahsoka managed to cut the arms off the droid she was fighting and grab the baby before backing up against a door on still even ground while the droid lost it's balance and fell into the lava. When it did mind control Leo was back on his feet coming at both of them taking the advantage of each Jedi holding a youngling in their arms.

His white blade glanced on and off the green and blue one before a wave of lava showered the compound melting support beams and wires keeping the compound steady. The facility started to critical as more of the floor broke, splitting the room in half with Anakin and Ahsoka on the one falling into the lava with Leo on the safer side glaring down at them behind the mask "Leo if there's anything left of you in there, you have to fight it!" Anakin called out deflecting left and right attacks.

The mask covering his face looked down at them seeing they were about to meet their doom. It also noticed only one beem was holding them to the compound. Leo walked over to the lightsaber at the ready "Leo listen to us please!" Ahsoka screamed "LEO!" He stopped over the beam and raised his lightsaber to cut it "LEO!" Ahsoka screamed again over the crying babies and bubbling lava. But it didn't look like there words could hear him, Leo drew back his lightsaber and swung it down before the strangest thing they'd ever seen happened. Leo's mouth opened and his jaws clamped straight down onto his own lightsaber arm sinking his teeth deep into his own flesh ripping through the black robes to stop himself from cutting the beam.

"Ahsoka, now!" Anakin said before they both jumped off the half of the room that fell into the river of lava beneath them with a splash. When they landed on Leo's side Anakin ran up behind him and with a single slash of his lightsaber cut the masks locks on the back of his head free. The red eye went dead and Leo unsunk his teeth into his arm to grab the mask and rip it off, letting out a breath of air as if he was breathing for the first time.

He almost lost his balance when both his friends steadied him, "General, Ahsoka…." he said with relief "I-I knew you'd come for me." he gasped.

"Always Rusty." Ahsoka said with a smile "Reunion later, escape now!" Anakin barked as the whole compound would soon follow the rest of itself.

They ran over to the nearby panel to try and reactivate the shields but it was coated in still searing lava drops "The panel's fried!" she said.

"Where's Artoo?" Anakin wondered about his tone sounding irritated. Just as he said that the door opened and Artoo beeped before they all made a run for it as the facility started exploding around them. Once outside they rushed onto the ship and into the cockpit. Anakin got into the pilot seat and started turning the ship on while the padawans attempted to calm the crying babies. "It's okay!" Ahsoka said, trying to comfort the babies in her arms, "Here take her." Anakin said handing Leo one of the babies who was crying as he got buckled in. Leo held the infant at arms length horrified of its shrieks "I'll take the lava over this." he moaned. The ship finally started up and Anakin flew it away from Mustafar before entering hyperspace, everyone sighed in relief even as the babies still cried.

"Artoo contact Masters Vos and Secura tell them we found our Leo." Anakin ordered the droid as Leo looked over at him.

_CORUSCANT_

_Jedi Temple _

Once the babies were returned to their mothers they headed back to Coruscant, reaching it by the time it was nightfall there and giving their report to the Council. "The base was completely destroyed, but with Ventress presence there it's clear it was a plot by the sith but also there's no evidence for us to use this against the separatist cause." Anakin said to Yoda.

"Most unfortunate, this is." the aged master said.

"We still have Bane." Anakin recalled, Yoda and Obi-Wan looked at one another briefly, Anakin and Ahsoka looked at one another worried at what that meant. Ahsoka sighed dejectedly. "He got away again?" she asked while Anakin frowned.

"The important thing is that the children are safe and that we've recovered the holocron." Obi-Wan pointed out looking in the positive.

"The list is intact and there is no evidence it was copied." Windu said. "Still, the future of all Jedi, uncertain is. Move forward cautiously, we must." Yoda warned.

Anakin and Ahsoka both nodded "That still leaves the question of what is to be done with Padawan Rock." Windu said.

"To be done with, he's back where he belongs with us?" Anakin asked them "For now, but you claimed he attacked you."

"After having an indoctrination mask strapped to his face, he wasn't in control and even through all that and the torture from Ventress he still fought through it, he could have killed us but he didn't I feel that must be taken into consideration Masters." Anakin pointed out.

Meanwhile, as they spoke Leo was putting on a new jedi robe over his latest set of scars, the robe was green like his old one with longer baggier sleeves that were tucked into a new set of green gloves like Ahsoka's red ones. As he adjusted it to fit better he looked over at a small fire where the dark black robes were being burned. "It will be Skywalker, but I sense the Dark Side is not yet finished with either of your padawans." Master Windu said.

"As Master Yoda said, the future remains uncertain." Windu said as down in the room Leo was in, he was holding the red kyber crystal in his hand.

He looked at its glowing center before he spoke "Show me everything?"


	16. The Looming Shadow

_SERENO_

_Count Dooku's Palace_

Ventress had her head bowed in a kneeling position in front of Count Dooku and Tol Skorr, behind her stood other acolytes in black robes behind her.

"You failed to turn the boy and we lost our indoctrination base, what do you have to say for this Ventress?" Count Dooku asked, looking out his window before turning around.

"Time was against my Master, the Bounty Hunter foolishly led the Jedi to us, forcing me to use the indoctrination mask against the boy." She said up to him.

Dooku glared down on her before Tol Skorr spoke "Mylord if I may, Lady Ventress attempts to turn the boy were more direct than my own but that may work to our advantage." Tol said in her defense.

"Explain?" Dooku asked.

"The Council will surely have caught on to our plan to turn the boy, we can use that fear to better serve our purposes." Tol Skorr said, smiling.

_CORUSCANT JEDI TEMPLE_

_Medical Wing_

Leo was being examined by one of the Jedi healers who was scanning him with a device for monitoring vitals. Leo was sporting his new long sleeved robe similar to Master Kenobi's but green in color with a black sash around his waist to match his pants. The Jedi healer looked up at him "Well Padawan Rock once again you astonish me with your lack of premature steps not to get yourself killed."

"Does that mean I can leave?" Leo asked her.

"Almost, just a few short medical questions we need to clear up, any shortness of breath?" She asked him.

"No." Leo answered as she took out a flashlight and beamed it into both his emerald eyes "Any shaking in the hands?"

Leo raised both his fingerless gloved hands "Not that I'm aware of."

"How are you sleeping?" She asked.

"Like a baby." Leo replied as she put the flashlight away "Alright Padawan, I'm clearing you of medical but the Masters will still want to speak with you."

Leo looked up at her "When?"

"When they deem it ready, now go." She said turning around walking back toward one of the counters.

The padawan got off the medical beg and exited the room and just as he walked out he noticed two jedi Sentinels standing guard at the doors. He tried not to pay them any mind but he could feel their gaze on him as he walked down the hallway when he turned he quickly rushed back to see the two sentinels leave their post as if they'd been put there specifically to watch him. Leo couldn't help but grip the corner of the wall tight watching them leave "What are you looking at?"

"GYAH!" Leo jumped spinning around to see Ahsoka smiling behind him "Nothing I just-" "Getting out of the medical wing again, tell me Leo who's been captured more you or me?" She asked him.

"Are we keeping score?" Leo asked her before the two of them began to walk together. She gave him a wink and smile to confirm it "Well I think we're about even." He said as they descended down a grand staircase.

They walked in silence for a few moments before Leo spoke up "Have you seen General Skywalker today?" He asked.

"Skyguy off on some mission with Senator Amidalla." Ahsoka told him "Again, you'd think they were married?" Leo said, making Ahsoka laugh.

Her laughter rose "Could you imagine if they had kids?" She asked him.

Leo smiled "Did the younglings we rescue get home safe?"

"Hmhmm all of them, including you." She said suddenly grabbing him by the neck and putting him into a headlock "Leo Rock, Captured, tortured and freed once more to fight for the Jedi and the Republic." She said rubbing her knuckles into his red hair.

"Quit it, quit it, quit it." Leo tried to break free but the torgurtan was too strong as they spun around before Leo stuck his leg out behind her leg. Ahsoka fell backward dragging Leo onto the floor with him, in another second Leo was on top of her before she flipped him bending his arm behind his back "Say it, say it?" She asked.

Leo groaned as she twisted his arm "Neve-" Leo was about to retort when he looked up just as Ahsoka did to see a familiar face. Selene, Cin Dralligs padawan stood over the two of them at a lost for words "Sparring again Padawans?" She asked bending over and offering them a hand

Both of them untangled and got up without saying a word to her before Ahsoka spoke "Selene." It was a cold greeting one that still hung fresh from their last encounter with the raven haired padawan.

"Still mad about the lunch room fight?" She asked.

Neither of them answered to show they still were "Okaaaaaay well I'm sorry about that my Master says I can be a bit…. prideful?" She asked, hoping the humility would show in her apology.

"Really only a bit?" Ahsoka asked her.

"Thank you for the apology." Leo said, taking Ahsoka by surprise and more so Selene.

But both women looked at one another still unhappy seeing the other before Selene spoke again "I heard that Master Skywalker was on a solo mission, I wanted to see if you'd care to join me and a few other padawans this afternoon?"

"For what?" Ahsoka asked.

"Guess you'll have to follow to find out?" Selene said with a wink and a smile before she turned around. Skywalker's padawans looked into each other's eyes before they reluctantly followed her.

Meanwhile up above on one of the higher walkways Jedi Masters kept a vigil on their students, Masters Yoda, Windu, Drallig, Kenobi, Secura and Vos were gathered around one another in a private discussion not on official council hours "The healers cleared him physically but I still wonder about the mental aspect?" Drallig asked.

"The mind can only take so much especially at the hands of sith torture." Obi-Wan said, stroking his beard.

"Yet the boy has shown remarkable resolve in the face of the darkness?" Windu added stoically.

Many heads turned to him "That's high praise coming from you Master Windu?" Cin said, smiling, loosening some of the tension.

"Vigilant we must be, seek to turn young Leo to the Dark Side, the Sith, much fear and pain I sense in the boy." Master Yoda said the only one not smiling.

"Master Vos, to Hoth how did you go?" Yoda asked him, Vos blushed a bit his famous reputation of being a great tracker getting called into question "Still figuring that out myself considering…?"

"Considering Mustafar is the complete opposite of Hoth?" Windu asked him "Well only by a little?" Vos said sheepishly poking his fingers together, sweating a bit "Ones covered in ice the other is covered in lava?" Windu asked him and Vos stayed quiet.

Yoda looked up at the masters then "Answer to the Council Master Krell must evade this council he has for long enough."

"I'll leave for his fleet immediately, Pong and I have a history. It will serve best if this order comes from me." Master Windu said, stepping forward.

"Safe travels Master Windu." Cin Drallig told him before they all dispersed "A moment of your time Master Drallig." Master Yoda called out before he left.

"Yes Master?" Cin asked him, "Have need of your Padawan, I do?"

Meanwhile, Leo and Ahsoka had followed Celeste to one of the abandoned wings of the temple that was under disrepair, taped off by yellow hololines. The floors and walls were all but cracked, with metal support beams put in to hold up the crumbling walls and ceiling.

"This place is blocked off?" Ahsoka said as Selene snuck under the laser "Yeah it is." She said going on ahead, Leo and Ahsoka followed her into the ruins of the temple passing over walk-in boards and over a large gap when they started to hear music. The three of them followed the music before coming into a large open room set up with lanterns on the ceiling and music blaring around a group of older Padawan gathered around a calamari padawan with white robes holding a bottle.

In fact most of the padawans had bottles of wine filling the air with the smell of alcohol "What… what is this?" Ahsoka asked Selene.

"Nahdar Vebbs last day as a padawan." Selene said as the other padawans poured wine on to his head and toasted around him "The Masters have deemed he's ready to take the trials."

"Knighthood, wow?" Ahsoka said as Selene walked over to a large ice bucket of bottles, she picked two of the smaller ones out and walked over to the two "Here from the stores of the Masters Wine cellar." Selene said, offering them the bottles.

The two of them took the glass with it freezing their fingers to the touch "Cheers." Selene said, summoning a bottle with the force "Wait a second."

"Hey Nahdar!" Selene called out to the calamari boy in the back, he heard her and approached them "Say hello to Ahsoka and Leo, the two padawans I told you about."

"Oh these are them well if anyone- hic can tell Selene's ego to pissssss off a friend of mine." He said his speech was slurred and he had hiccups escaping his fish lips left and right.

"Ahsoka here was able to take out an entire Separatist fleet and Leo here has bested two Sith Acolytes first Jedi since Master Kenobi on Naboo." Selene said, getting the ears and attention of the other older padawans who started to encircle Leo and Ahsoka.

Both padawans felt the spotlight cast on them suddenly "Wow and entire fleet…. your Skywalker's Padawans he's amazing…. two Sith incredible?"

The questions bombarded them like gungan throwing ion grenades before Selene pushed the crowd back "Whoa, whoa who's party is this theres or Nahdars come on get him another drink." Selene said pushing them away and driving there attention back to the guest of honor.

"Sorry about that most of these Padawans have never touched a bottle of wine, which i why you two should start early when its your Padawan Send off." Selene said drinking her bottle, Leo and Ahsoka gave each other a wary glance before they sipped the wine.

Both of their faces turned green for a moment but swallowed "Oh that's disgusting." Ahsoka said, spitting out what was left in her mouth "Nasty but… sweet?" Leo said looking into the bottle.

"That's because you always go looking for nastys." Ahsoka said.

Selene cocked a brow "If reputations could talk they'd say you go after the biggest baddest droids on the battlefield Ahsoka."

"I don't mean to brag but yes." Ahsoka said with a cocksure grin.

"No joke, Ahsoka's fearless General Skywalker says it all the time." Leo said taking another drink starting to feel the wine loosen him up and ease whatever aches he still had.

Selene nodded "I know I said some things about him. I was out of line, friends?" Selene asked holding her hand out to Ahsoka "We'll see." Ahsoka said.

"By the way Leo, I heard a rumor you were on Hoth some time ago that is true?" Drallig's padawan asked him.

Leo glanced up at her as he was looking over at Nahdar who was chugging wine with the other boys "What?" He asked, forgetting the question.

"Hoth, big white ball of ice Tan tans and Wampas, you were there right?" She asked him.

Leo looked at her a bit confused then at Ahsoka "Don't look at me?"

"Y-yeah before the war started Master Krell trained me there, we spent weeks in the cold meditating and training before one day he left me there for a month."

"A month!" Selene said "It wasn't that bad he left me in wampa territory so there was plenty of food." Leo said casually.

"Food- you ate wampa meat?" Selene asked him.

Leo nodded like it was no big deal "Maybe if the tantans didn't smell so bad."

Ahsoka and Selene laughed before someone burst into the chamber "Sentinels, scatter!" One of the padawans yelled.

"Oh come on not again, I thought I paid them off." Selene snapped drinking the rest of her bottle as the party went into pandemonium. The padawans scattered as the music and lights vanished, people pumped into one another when the lights went out.

"You paid off the Temple Guard?" Ahsoka asked Selene following her to the back of the room where a fallen statue was.

"Box tickets to the opera, they take those masks off every once in a while you know now help me move this." Selene pushed the statue to the side and a secret opening behind it. The three of them slipped inside as other padawans filed out into other escape routes just as Sentinels burst three escaped padawans moved into the secret passageway using their lightsabers to light their way.

Selene scoffed as she walked down the secret passage "Stars I was hoping this would help us bury the hatchet." She groaned.

"You went out of the way to throw a party to say your sorry?" Ahsoka asked her.

"Well I was kind of a jerk to you all." Selene mumbled walking up to a metal part in the ruined hallway with a vent on the floor "It was really more for Nahdars sake but we older padawans like to invite younger ones to keep things fresh."

She turned her lightsaber off as Leo's and Ahsoka's kept a light above her "Here we are." She pried the vent off and slipped inside with Leo and Ahsoka following him.

"Anyway, follow this corridor and you'll come out near the Padawan Dorms, I'm going to circle back to try and smooth this all over with the Sentinels." Selene said before she headed down the opposite way.

"Hey Selene!" Ahsoka yelled after her.

The raven haired padawan turned around "Yeah?"

"Thanks this was fun." Ahsoka said before she gave a wink and a smile walking off.

Eventually Leo and Ahsoka were back in the dormitories "That was fun." Leo said, walking to the boys side.

"Wasn't it, I think I'm going to turn in that wine that made me sleepy?" Ahsoka said.

"Right behind you." Leo said waving her goodnight.

Leo returned to his dormitory and looked out across the night sky of Coruscant leaning on the window with one arm he smiled.

**Are you ready to begin?**

The voice of the red kyber crystal called up to Leo from his nightstand, he knelt down and picked it up "Show me." Leo felt the crystal's power slip into his mind before he felt the visions take hold.

_Leo looked to see the Sith Spirit covered in scars and wounds aboard an ancient starship. He was flying through hyperspace wrapping up a scar on his arm in a pilot's chair before he turned around in his chair and looked back at Leo. _

"_So when you betrayed the Jedi you ran?" Leo asked him. _

_The sith smiled before spitting on the floor "They betrayed us."_

"_When the sith were still a power in the galaxy it was us the young who fought them, leading the charge against our ancient enemies I fought in a hundred battles, a hundred victories." The sith said holding up his lightsaber. _

"_And for what?" The Sith asked "A title of something I already knew, Master when I was already the Master of myself and my own power." The sith spirit said to him turning the lightsaber on. _

_The Sith Spirit looked at the red blade "Do you know Sith doesn't mean dark or evil, it means perfection." _

_Leo didn't say a word at first "That's what you see yourself as, Perfect?" Leo asked him._

_Turning off the lightsaber the spirit smiled again "It's what I wanted to be." _

"_My master trained me to be the best swordsman of the order, to train until my bones broke, filled my head with dreams of serving the order and fulfilling my destiny." The sith said._

_Silence took hold of the vision, neither Leo or the Sith spirit spoke until finally the spirit sighed "Do you know what I learned after I embraced the dark side." _

"_What?" Leo asked. _

"_It's incredibly lonely." _

KNOCK KNOCK

"Padawan Rock, your presence is requested by Master Yoda." A voice of a jedi on the other end of the door. Leo jumped up from the floor where he'd been sitting holding the crystal in his hand.

Leo dropped the crystal and stood up "Y-yes be right there."

Leo grabbed his lightsaber and walked to the door looking back at the crystals then heading out. The padawan found Master Yoda in an empty chamber at the heart of the temple sitting in meditation. The room was dimly lit as it was still late at night when Leo sat down across from Master Yoda legs crossed instead of kneeling like some Jed I did, "Couldn't wait till morning huh Master Yoda?"

Master Yoda opened his eyes unamused "Apologize Master, please forgive my disrespect."

"Disrespect none taken, the touch of Skywalker I sense in you." Master Yoda said to Leo "Genera- Master Skywalker is a great jedi, I've learned much from him and Ahsoka." Leo replied.

"And much from your enemies hmmm?" Yoda asked him.

Leo felt himself going pale, worried if they had discovered the crystal "The Sith, what say you of them?"

"They are… fierce." Leo replied as Yoda gazed at him with big eyes and the force surrounding them both "Fear them do you?" Yoda asked him.

"... yes." Leo replied looking at the floor as Yoda nodded "Hmmm good."

"Good?" Leo asked him "Without fear, no courage is there hmmm?" Yoda asked him.

Leo avoided looking at the master "I wasn't courageous against the Sith I fought, I just didn't want to die Master."

"A natural part of life death is, for Jedi there is no death." Master Yoda said getting Leo to glare at him, "I don't know if everyone shares that view, Master, I watched people die, I felt their force fade into nothing."

"Fear that you do, becoming nothing?" Yoda asked him.

Leo didn't answer him; he only squeezed the black cloth around his robes. "Why am I here Master?"

"Why?" Yoda asked back "The doctor said I was fine, I'm ready and fit for battle there has to be some reason you woke me up in the middle of the night I'd Just like to know why?" Leo almost snapped.

Yoda sighed closing his eyes "Fear I sense in you, much anger too Padawan, clouds the mind anger does."

"I don't know about that?" Leo grumbled "Hmm a Jedi Master are you?" Yoda asked him giggling, showing he wasn't offended by Leo's insolence but more amused "... no Master, but I'm getting stronger."

The jedi master nodded "Strong you are Padawan, strong are all jedi but where to draw that strength?"

"Anger, pain, fear use these emotions a jedi does not." Master Yoda said making Leo slowly bow and shake his head feeling Yoda was looking right into him "M-maybe I'm not like other jedi, maybe I can control these emotions?" Leo stammered.

Yoda shook his head "Control them no jedi can, control you they can turn these emotions inward, unconquerable enemies they will be."

"Why then do you set this task before you?" Yoda asked him.

"... I seek to become a stronger Master." Leo told him honestly "Strength, another word for power that is?" Yoda asked him "Then I seek power to protect those who can't protect themselves when the time comes." Leo said, getting Yoda's attention.

"Admiral to dedicate oneself to become better it is, wary of pride and vanity you must me in these coming days Leo Rock." Yoda said getting up "In this quest you have undertaken to become stronger, be vigilant, surround yourself with those closest to you, do not forget them you must and do not forget who you are." Leo felt the soft touch of Yoda's hand on his red hair, Leo looked up at him to see no look of fear or disapproval from Master Yoda.

He only felt patience, compassion, tolerance and understanding. "Thank you Master Yoda I won't forget this… may I return to my room?"

"No, wait here your Master returns soon he will be." Master Yoda said walking to the door. Leo sat there waiting more confused than he had been, his mind moved to speaking more about this with General Skywalker when he arrived. As the door opened Leo smiled and got up "Welcome back General." He said turning around and his smile immediately disappeared.

"A less than appropriate response Padawan, you've been rather busy stirring up a great deal of trouble in my absence." Said Leo's rightful Master, Jedi General Pong Krell walked in sternly glaring at him, where if this had been the day he first left Leo would have turned his gaze away but he looked up at the big besalisk man. Leo stood up straight hands behind his back "Forgive me Master I thought you were General Skywalker."

Krell gave a displeased grin "Ah yes Skywalker, Skywalker he's been bombarding me with reports of your accolades and misadventures, shot down by droids, assisting anti republic insurgents and how could you let yourself be captured?" Krell said starting to walk around him Leo started to squeeze his wrist tightly behind his back.

"I'm sure if you read General Skywalkers reports that's not all you've read- Sir?" Leo said his best trying not to growl up at him.

Krell hummed scratching his large neck "Yes, there were other things the Sith Acolytes, notable counts of bravery but I am your master not Skywalker."

"Could have fooled me." "WHAT WAS THAT PADAWAN!" Krell roared coming around towering over him, his four arms raised slightly up at Leo. The besalisk's yell was so strong it blew back some of Leo's hair but Leo was unfazed, Krell saw this and smiled. His smile arose into a chuckle.

"Is this truly the same Padawan that stands before me?" Krell asked closing his eyes and waved his hand over him "I can feel doubt has become resolved, the fear of failure replaced with a desire for… power."

Krell lowered his arms still towering over him "Tell me Padawan, do you feel powerful?"

Raising his head slowly Leo could feel the kyber crystal calling to him from his room "I feel only the force Master."

"You will have to show me how much more powerful you've become, follow we are leaving."

"Leaving where?" Leo asked following him, Krell didn't turn around only expecting Leo to follow "Where this war began, Geonosis."


	17. Landing at Point Rain

**Special thanks to Library-Goblin for the fanart of Leo Rock aka Rusty Boi. **

_GEONOSIS_

The four Republic fleets were approaching Geonosis, aboard the flagship of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Generals Mundi and Krell were already assembled. Leo stood behind Master Krell looking out across the stars "Where are Skywalker and his padawan?" Krell asked annoyed at their tardiness.

"They should be here shortly." Leo said before the doors opened and in walked Anakin and his padawans walked onto the bridge of the Resolute. "You're late." Obi-Wan said as the three walked up beside him and Mundi. "Sorry, Master the two of us were busy routing the seppies near Dorin." Anakin said when he noticed among the Jedi Generals who'd been assembled was Leo and his master Pong Krell standing arms crossed.

"My squadron alone had 55 kills." Ahsoka said smugly looking over at Leo.

"Yeah, but mine had 76." Anakin said, also smirking.

"Show off." she scoffed but with her smirk still in place.

"Well I'm glad you three are enjoying yourselves." Obi-Wan said. "Hey it's just a little friendly competition Master, nothing to worry about." Anakin assured with a smirk still on his face. Obi-Wan held his chin in thought as the ships flew to Geonosis "What I worry about is the way this war seems to be drawing out with no end in sight." he said, his voice taking on a worried tone.

"Which is why it is crucial our invasion of Geonosis meets with success." Mundi reminded me. "Agreed." Anakin said before turning to Ahsoka. "Ahsoka, Leo, contact the Outer Rim command we're ready for our briefing." he said to her and Leo.

Anakin felt Krell glaring at him coldly "My apologizes Master Krell I've gotten used to Leo being under my command he's a fine Padawan."

"Think nothing of it, and he's mediocre at best, boy make yourself useful and go with Commander Tano" Krell said dismissing Leo to walk alongside. Ahsoka did just that.

Leo was quiet next to Ahsoka. "So how's it going being back with your old Master?"

"It's only been a few hours before we're on Coruscant Ahsoka?" Leo said "Still he must have said something nice?" Ahsoka asked as they started to put a signal through.

Leo looked back at Krell, back the besalisk master, not showing any emotion as the jedi spoke "Nothing comes to mind."

Ahsoka gave up on getting him to open up and walked back over to the others with Leo "They're already waiting for us."

The Jedi made their way to their way to the briefing at the holotable at the front of the bridge with Windu, Yoda, Luminara and Palpatine already on the holo-viewer before bringing up a hologram of Geonosis. "Our ships are in position, and we are ready to begin our campaign against the Geonosians." Obi-Wan informed the holograms.

"And what about Poggle, any report on his location?" Windu asked.

Obi-Wan pressed a button and a hologram of the main droid factory came up. "It seems he's holed up at the primary droid foundry here." he said pointing at it as it flashed briefly before continuing, "The factory is protected by a shield generator." a small area lit up behind the shield showing a geonosian factory.

"Anakin, Ki-Adi, Pong and I shall attempt a four pronged attack through their defence lines to a staging area just short of the shield." he continued as four arrows pointed towards a single spot before a line moved from there to the generator and one going over straight into the enemy fire. "Once we have landed, we shall knock out the shield generator,that's our primary target." he finished.

"Isn't it risky committing three generals to one area of the attack? If something went wrong we could be dealt a serious blow." the Chancellor said, sounding worried.

"To ensure that rise again Geonosis does not capture Poggle we must." Yoda said to him. "Of course. As always I shall leave the strategy to you, Master Jedi." Palpatine said with a trusting smile.

"Thank you Chancellor, the Geonsisans are fierce warriors but we will win the day." Krell said, when Leo heard that they'd be fighting Geonsisans something in him shifted. Pong noticed it but said nothing simply looking at Anakin who showed some concern at the boy's mood "With padawans like Tano and Rock I'm sure." Ahsoka smiled getting such high praise from his excellency but Leo seemed to shy away from it. Leo

"Our thanks, Chancellor." Obi-Wan said. "May the Force be with you." Windu said before he and the other two cut out.

Cody, Rex and Clone Commander Jet walked into the room and up to the holotable where the jedi were waiting.

"Good, Cody, these are the coordinates for the rendezvous." Obi-Wan said as he enlarged the hologram and an arrow pointed towards an area beneath a cliff. "Yes, sir. When we hit the ground we'll create a perimeter there getting past their defenses here will be the trick." he said, moving his finger along a dotted line not far from the staging area Obi-Wan mentioned before continuing.

"General Mundi will cut across the defensive lines from the north." a small green gunship flew into the green square that represented the staging area. "We will make our assault through the middle." he continued as a yellow gunship landed next to the green one. "General Skywalker will make his attack on the defensive lines from the south, with General Krell and his men taking the vanguard directly at the enemy and we will meet at the rendezvous point at 0700 exactly." he finished.

Obi wan held his chin in thought as Mundi spoke, "If we meet with strong resistance and are forced down away from the landing zone, hold out until we join our forces before attacking the shield generator.",

"Their front lines are heavily fortified look at that giant wall with all the gun emplacements that won't be easy to get passed." she pointed out to the red wall that was at the front of the canyon leading to the factory and looking worried.

"Don't worry we're not going anywhere near that." Anakin reassured with a smirk. "Come now. What happened to all the enthusiasm I saw earlier?" Obi-Wan asked him, with a small smirk of his own.

"Don't worry about us, you just make sure you get yourself to that landing zone in one piece." Anakin said resting his arm on his former master's shoulder. "Yes. I should be waiting for you when you finally arrive." Obi-Wan said, his small smirk still in place. "Gentlemen, If you are quite finished. We have a battle to begin." Luminara reminded them all.

Before they were finished Anakin pressed his hand on the table "Master Krell if I may?" Everyone looked to Anakin when he had their attention.

"Perhaps it would be wise to allow Leo to be put under my command again, instead of in the vanguard where he won't have any Arc Trooper support?" Anakin suggested. Krell looked at him and Leo next "Do you hear that Padawan, Skywalker thinks you unfit to take a command despite being far superior to clones?" Krell added looking at the three clone troopers who vacantly starred back not sure what he meant by that.

Anakin's face turned slightly red at such an accusation "Thank you Skywalker but your constant reports have reminded me of my duty as a Master to the boy as for the arc trooper to keep the clones in line- mine should be arriving shortly."

The doors to the bridge opened and nearly every clone in the bridge turned as another one of their brothers walked in, but he wasn't like Jet, Rex or Cody. He wore red striped arc trooper armor and Paulson, his Kama was trimmed in red with holes in it, his armor covered in blaster marks and scars like his helmet that was sporting a glanced sniper hole on the left side of his helmets fin, even Rex and Cody recognized him "Is that…?" Rex asked "Has to be?" Cody whispered back.

"Masters, allow me to introduce ARC Trooper Alpha-0017, a veteran of the first Battle of Kamino." Krell said as the arch trooper removed his helmet to reveal a clone with graying hair and scar running down the left side of his face like Anakins, when he took it off Anakin slightly avoided his gaze before he saluted "Now as Master Luminara putted so wisely we have a battle to commence." Krell said.

"Quite right." Obi-Wan agreed before starting to walk around the viewer while addressing Cody, "Cody, prep the gunships. I'll meet you in the hanger."

"Yes, sir." the commander replied

The clones and jedi filled out of the bridge with some tension in the room as Anakin found himself walking next to the new Arc Trooper in their midsts "Alpha?" Anakin said.

"Skywalker." Alpha said as Ahsoka trailed behind them next to Obi-Wan, Rex and Cody.

"Do they know each other?" Ahsoka asked "Indeed they do, shortly after the first Battle of Geonosis, Anakin and I were given command of the first batch of Arc Troopers to start sabotaging missions, Alpha was one of them." Obi-Wan said as Obi-Wan looked at Cody "You mean the Alpha right Cody?"

Cody nodded "I hear you Rex."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ahsoka asked them "Well that's because Alpha 17 is a legend, when the clones started different training the first recruits to the Arc Trooper program were having issues that's when Alpha appeared as the first Arc Trooper."

Ahsoka still didn't have her answer question "Why does Anakin look so off then?"

"You'll have to ask him that." Obi-wan suggested.

Up front Leo followed closely to Master Krell despite feeling Anakin's gaze on his back "Skywalker has no faith in you, none of them do Padawan go see to it that the men are ready so mine isn't misplaced as well."

"Yes General." Leo said before he ran on ahead, Anakin looked back at Ahsoka "Ahsoka do the same." He said before a wink for her to go check up on Leo too.

When they arrived in the hangar Leo was standing outside a group of white armored clone troopers who were loading up backpacks with ammo and grenades, Leo was also doing the same before Ahsoka walked up behind him. The gunship they were in front of had a dragon's face painted on the front with blue wings, the clones equipping for battle were all dressed in Arc Trooper power with heavy cannons and blaster rifles "You alright Rusty?" She asked.

Leo stopped remembering what Krell had told him before he was given the assignment "Why is it you always ask if I'm okay?" He asked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked as he stood up "You always think somethings wrong, don't you think I can handle it?"

Ahsoka gave him an even more puzzled look "Or do you not think I can handle a frontal assault like General Skywalker?"

"I never said that?" Ahsoka said "You didn't need to it."

"Padawans time to go." General Krell barked walking into the hanger with Captain Alpha behind him cutting off the conversation before he got on the gunship. Ahsoka watched the vanguard forces take off and fly out the hanger before Anakin walked in seeing her see Leo leave with Krell. He walked up behind her "Come on Snips we got a job to do."

The two of them got onto their own gunship "We're all ready, Rex?" Anakin asked the captain. "Yes, sir. General Kenobi is already under way." he replied. "Well, he's got a head start. We'll have to catch up." he said before the gunships under his command started exiting the ship and heading toward the rendezvous point.

Ahead of them Krell, Leo and Alpha were flying down through the clouds when the enemy flak started shaking the ship.

"Status?" Leo asked the clones "Enemy cannons are hitting us hard; we've already lost three gunships." Leo heard the pilot replied.

"Get us down on the enemy guns." Krell ordered as all the Jedi ships were getting bombarded by enemy anti-aircraft cannons. On the planet's surface Geonsisan cannons lit up the skies followed by their own star fighters savagely pursuing the gunships.

Leo grabbed onto his handle with both hands "Clone keep- us steady!" Krell barked up to the pilot "Ten clicks to the landing-" a random shell smashed into the cockpit ripping it apart. The gunship crashed down right on the front of the geonosian lines, the first wing snapped off and the clones tumbled forward straight into a geonosian trench.

"Out, everyone out now!" Captain Alpha yelled hitting a button on the door making the doors blast off, Krell saw the flash of light and the Jedi General roared like thunder leaping out of the downed gunship taking out both his double bladed lightsabers "ATTACK!" Krell yelled, Leo followed after him drawing his lightsaber and for a brief moment he paused seeing an entire ocean like swam or geonosian warriors heading right for them. The clones and geonosians met along with Leo and Krell slicing there way into the main force.

Three times the size of the bugs, the besalisk jedis swings cut down every two geonsians that came down at him. He used the force to send rocks flying into the geonosians when they used their sonic canons, Krell dodged letting the clones take the force Leo saw a series of canons across from the trenches as a second defense line "Alpha get the men into the trenches!" Leo ordered.

"Alright men get in there and get dirty!" Alpha barked.

Krell looked back and saw Leo grab one of the fallen clones who's leg was broken, and pulling him into cover "NO!" Krell yelled.

"Leave the wounded." Krell ordered, Leo looked back at the fallen clone who shoved him off "Go on without me!" The trooper said, grabbing his blaster and continuing to fight.

Behind them, Anakin and Ahsoka gunship shook quite a bit and fell from outside, suddenly they were hit hard and the gunship started to go down. The gunship hit the ground a moment later and started to skid along the ground before coming to a stop. "We're down! Repeat, down! Location five-!" Rex stopped when he realized they just lost contact with Mundi's team.

"Come on! Get up, we have to keep moving!" Anakin yelled over the explosions around them as he and Rex pushed the broken door off the gunship. The Jedi exited first then ignited their sabers and started deflecting blaster fire. A few clones climbed on top of the ruined gunship and started firing. Anakin rushed a few of the Geonosians as the clones and padawans remained behind for the time being. "They're falling back! Come on!" Ahsoka yelled to the rest of them before they started to run forward.

The clones managed to take cover in a small trench while the Jedi deflect blaster fire after reaching a small canyon on their way to the rendezvous point. "Rex, what's the word? Can Kenobi send support or not?" Anakin asked over the battle before jumping into the trench next to Rex.

"I don't think so, sir, Cody says General Kenobi never reached the landing site. They think his gunship got shot down." the captain replied.

"Great. The one time I actually ask Obi-Wan for help, he's nowhere to be found." Anakin said, sounding irritated. Rex and Ahsoka dropped on the other side of Anakin before spewing with concern, "Well what if something happened to General Kenobi or Leo? He could be injured or-" Anakin cut her off, "No time for that kind of talk." He turned his attention back to Rex while even Anakin was worried.

Across the battlefield in the thickest parts of the fighting, Alpha, Leo and Krell were surrounded on all sides by Geonosisan warriors, there numbers were down three times there original numbers, Alpha was using a rotating blaster cannon as Krell and Leo cut there way through the enemy lines "We have to move to higher ground Padawan, move toward the hill!" Krell barked pointing to a higher level of earth overlooking the shield.

"General Krell, General Kenobi is down and surrounded with no word on Mundi or Skywalker." Alpha said up to him as the clone troopers started to fight their way through the trenches. A Geonosisian warrior jumped on top of Leo and he impaled it on his lightsaber behind Krell who was using a spin technique to cut down ten bugs nearly all at once.

Leo followed him, closely asked the clone troopers pressing toward the hill being shot at on all sides. Some of the clones were even scooped up off the ground and dropped from lethal heights. The clones and jedi fought their way almost to the top of the hill, passing by the tall towers of dried mud being blown apart.

"Push forward, any one who stops will be shot!" Krell barked at the clones and Leo who saw a sonic cannon aimed right at Krell "GENERAL LOOK OUT!" The cannon opened fire and a sonic blast hit Krell square in the chest sending him right into one of the stalagmite pillars shattering it.

Alpha and Leo watched Krell get half buried under the rocks "Generals down, move move move!" Alpha ordered his men running into combat to secure Krell. Leo led them next to Alpha getting back to back when his heavy blaster cannon overheated Alpha through it into a group of Geonosians ripping out his two blaster pistols like Rex's but with extended barrels.

Leo cut down any Geonosian warrior who got close to him "We can't hold this position for long Commander Rock." Captain Alpha said under his helmet.

"I know, I know." Leo said cutting off an enemy warrior's head off "General said leave the wounded behind, do we obey?" Alpha said getting Leo's attention. In that brief moment Leo realized he was in command he looked back at the amassing geonosian warriors readying to counter attack and he had to make a call.

Leo looked at Alpha "Take the General and any wounded you find, pull back to the ridge over there and call in an airstrike when you all are clear." Leo ordered him.

"You're not coming with us Commander?" Alpha asked, still shooting "You said General Kenobi is pinned down behind us, if those Geonosians get through he'll be overwhelmed."

"But Commander, you can't fight them all?" Alpha tried to tell him when a Geonosian warrior attacked from behind Alpha, Leo pushed him aside and stabbed the bug in the chest before another one appeared. Ripping his lightsaber out Leo cut the warrior in half before an entire squad almost took them by surprise. Leo drew back both arms and summoned a force wave that tore the bugs bodies into ash.

"Watch me now go." Leo ordered.

Leo's force push had given the clones a window that Alpha wouldn't waste "You heard him, you three grab the General, the rest cover fire we're falling back to the south east ridge move it." Alpha ordered the men. Leo watched them start retreat before he turned around climbing on top of the rock seeing the Geonosians coming right at him in full force. The wind whipped at Leo's brown robes stained with dirt and geonosian blood, squeezing his lightsaber tightly while they scaled the hill. He jumped off the rock and ran down the hill picking up the speed taking his lightsaber in both hands Leo drew back his arms and yelled running right into the swarm.

Back at the fortress that Anakin and Ahsoka hadn't expected to face were now right up against it "Rex, we need to mobilize now to get the men together, we're gonna rush the guns." he said urgently. "Yes, sir." the captain replied before leaving.

"Ahsoka with me, we need to give Rex cover when we attack." he said to the padawans.

"Got it just give the word." Ahsoka said.

"Hey, I'm worried about him too but you have to keep your mind in the here and now, otherwise we'll never be able to help Obi-Wan." Anakin said as gently as he could just as Rex came back with the remaining clones.

"All here, sir." he told him.

"Ready… now!" he yelled as they all started vaulting over the trench and rushing the turret. "Go! Go! Go!" Rex called out. "Take 'em out! Take 'em out!" one of the clones yelled out before he and one of his brothers both cried out as they were killed.

A while after rushing the gun they were now done fighting for the time being and soon came upon the giant wall Ahsoka pointed out to back on the ship and before they could keep moving at least 20 battle droids appeared at the top along with a few supers and started firing down on them. "Careful, men. Careful!" Rex warned. Unfortunately two clones were killed before the rest took cover behind some boulders. Rex and the three Jedi took cover behind a single huge boulder before deactivating their sabers. "Well, this is another fine mess you've gotten us into." Ahsoka said sarcastically.

"What? Hey, it's not my fault! You were supposed to study the holomaps!" he accused, trying to place the blame on her.

"I did! Remember when I reminded you about the giant wall, and you said, 'Don't worry, Snips. We won't be anywhere near that.'" she recalled in irritation.

"I thought you thought this through?" he asked, feeling irritated as well. "Just get ready to climb!" he said, sounding annoyed and pointed to the cliff on their left.

The jedi signalled three clones with backpacks and they rushed over quickly as the other troopers covered them. Anakin helped them remove their packs before Rex spoke. "So what's the plan, General?" Rex asked him.

"Just keep us covered, Rex." he replied before handing a pack to Ahsoka who slipped it on.

"There's too much laser fire for all of us to make the climb. Ahsoka and I will handle this." He checked one of the thermal detonators before putting it back into the pack then slipping it on. The Jedi started running towards the cliff as a few cannons on the wall shot at them while a few clones were killed and the three of them dodged the blasts.

After reaching the cliff they shot their grappling hooks towards the top and tugged on them. Once certain the hooks were stable they used the Force to jump along the side of the cliff in order to move faster. As soon as they reached the top they headed towards the wall and started deflecting with their sabers when the droids noticed them and opened fire with more appearing soon after and while dividing their attention between the Jedi and clones. "How many droids have you two shot down so far?" Anakin asked them. "Twenty-five." Ahsoka said while she kept deflecting. "You're falling behind." he said with a smirk.

"Let's go!" Anakin said as they jumped down onto the top of the wall and started moving forward while deflecting and slashing with the clones helping from below.

Once the droids on the wall were taken care of they deactivated their sabers. "Look for a hatch! We need to put the explosives inside the wall." Anakin said as they looked around. "Found one!" Ahsoka said just as a droideka jumped out before landing and activated it's shield. The Jedi reignited their sabers and started deflecting it's blasts. A second one came out from where Anakin had been and rolled over to them, forcing the Jedi close together. Ahsoka focused on one while Anakin focused on the other. Rex suddenly came up from behind it and slipped through the shield before shooting it in the head. With that one destroyed the jedi rallied around the opening vent when a droid came out. "Hey, did you get them?" it asked looking in the opposite direction.

"Catch!" Anakin said, throwing his pack at the droid as it turned around. "Huh?! Wha!" it exclaimed in surprise as it caught the pack before Anakin smirked and used the Force to push the droid down.

The droid yelled while Ahsoka threw theirs into the hole. "Come on, Rex!" Anakin said to the clone. "Up and away!" Ahsoka said as she used the force to lift him and throw him off the edge before the three Jedi jumped off and started falling as the wall exploded. Rex yelled in fear as they kept falling, the Jedi used the Force to slow their descent as they reached the ground before landing, they then used the Force to slow Rex's before the wall continued to fall apart. Using the force they managed to keep the debris from hitting them. After it was over Ahsoka offered a hand to Rex and pulled him up. "Next time, just tell me to jump." the Captain said to Anakin.

"Now where's the fun in that?" he asked the clone with a smirk before gesturing to them to follow.

While Anakin and Ahsoka enjoyed their victory, Obi-Wan was still at Point Rain just behind the front lines, he was leaned up against a crate holding a wound. "General Kenobi, General Kenobi do you copy?" Captain Alpha's voice came through on his commas as the clones tried to hold back the Geonosians from all around them.

"Captain Alpha what's the situation?" Obi-Wan asked "General Krell was wounded and knocked unconscious in the ensuing fight, our advance was halted, we fell back to the southern ridge and are pinned down. We needed an airstrike immediately." Alpha exclaimed.

Obi-Wan looked over to the ridge and saw clone and Geonosian exchanging blaster fire but no whtie lightsaber "Where is Commander Rock?"

"He stayed behind to cover our retreat." Obi-Wan looked into the distance where he saw a large group of Geonosians swarming a round front of the shield and already could tell where Leo was.

In the center of the swarm, in the heart of the fight Leo was fighting tooth and nail in the thickest part of the geonosians, their wings giving them the high ground and their sonic canons impossible to deflect with a lightsaber so he took the fight to them. Wherever he looked Leo saw a blood thirsty geonosian in his face, hacking and slashing in every direction. Leo felt one of the geonosians tackle him and others piled on top of him battering him with their blasters and stones, he suddenly felt a geonosian spear stab him in the back through the side going right through. The wound white not fatal, sent a shockwave through him and everything faded from Leo in an instant and went berserk just like on Mardun.

"RAAAAAAHHHH!" The force unleashed around Leo repulsing the Geonosians around him off before he got up howling to the sky. The first geonosians to try and attack him again were met by a furious force wave that snapped their limbs off or tore their wings to ribbons. One that turned around was pulled off his feet and dragged right onto Leo's lightsaber before he tore it out. Two more were on him and he stabbed one and grabbed the other by the neck and crushed the warriors windpipe with the force.

Another tried to get a sonic blast off to hit Leo but he dodged, staying low like an animal Leo ran around them and in a flurry of strikes he severed the heads of a dozen Geonosian warriors before one of the cannons knocked him off his feet. Was flung back nearly eight meters before he landed on all fours and got up and charged straight forward again. He cut down one to the left then to the right, one of the geonosians with wings dropped down behind him and Leo jumped in the air cutting the droid from chest to head. Whenever Leo swung his lightsaber another Geonosian died. The bodies began to pile up soon covering the dirt with so many dead they could barely see the dirt when suddenly the warriors all stopped.

They had stopped to look.

And to see, the pilled masses of their kin under the boots of Leo holding his lightsaber above his head, panting, exhausted, maybe weak enough for them to all take at once.

So they charged and Leo smiled because more were coming for him to slaughter, Leo let out another ferocious scream and resumed his dance of death letting the geonosians come for him as he didn't take a step back. The force around him swirled in a storm of emotions, fear, anger and pain and at it center was Leo, the Berserker.

On the eastern part of the desert, Ahsoka had stopped in her tracks between Anakin and the clones. She grabbed her forehead throbbing from something in the distance and for a brief moment she saw Leo fighting amongst the Geonosians in a split second she felt everything and it radiated from her to Anakin "Snips?" Anakin asked, hurrying back to her as she started to get overwhelmed.

"M-master, it's Leo I feel it- I feel it?" She said clutching the side of her head, Anakin knelt beside her hands outstretched but he didn't dare touch her "Feel what?"

"Leo Master… so much anger, so much fear?" She said before Anakin took her by the shoulder and saw what she saw, felt what she felt.

It could only be described in one word, fury, pure primal fury channeled through the force in a storm of death that Leo stood in the middle of. "Focus on my voice Ahsoka, we need to keep moving." Anakin said, pulling her to the padawans feet.

When she started to center herself she let out a deep breath "Okay… Okay I'm better now."

"Come on, we can't keep Obi-Wan waiting." Anakin said urgently. "You heard him, lads! Let's go!" Rex called out to the others as they started running through the debris and out the other side of the canyon.

"Look! What's that?" Ahsoka called out while pointing to a cave on the side of a cliff with Geonosians flying out in what appeared to be terror. The Jedi activated their sabers as the group stopped. "It's Master Mundi!" Ahsoka said pointing, pointing to the humanoid figure that just appeared at the top. Anakin and Ahsoka knew well enough at this point not to doubt their friend anymore when it came to things like this.

"Master Mundi, do you read me?" Anakin asked him over his comlink.

Up in the catacombs Mundi heard him "We are here, Skywalker. We took a slight detour that put us out of communications for a bit." the Master replied. "This has been a day for detours, Master." Anakin said as his voice took on a slight tired tone. "Indeed, but now the road is clear. I can see the landing zone, It does not look good." Mundi said, his tone sounding worried before cutting off.

"Can you get me Admiral Yularen?" Anakin asked Rex.

The captain nodded before setting up a connection with the admiral using a holopad. Anakin placed his hands behind his back before addressing Yularen, "Admiral. We're at the breaking point, you've got to get some fighters down here." he said. "You are in luck, General Skywalker. I have one squadron available." the admiral told him from up above.

A squadron of starfighters descended from the clouds just sat the Republic lines around Obi-Wan broke even as Leo fought a kilometer ahead of them. Surrounded by the geonosians when one of them screeched to the sky signaling the others of the incoming fighters.

Leo looked over his shoulder to see them, snapping his heads ack at the Geonosians who started to run. Leo saw a large natural stone pillar sticking out of the ground behind them just before the shield generator. Before they could get through the generator Leo grabbed the base with the force and started to pull, he gritted his teeth grinding them against one another every muscle in his outstretched arm tensed as if here holding a in invisible rope gone taut when the base of the stone cracked and it came tumbling down blocking off the Geonosians retreat. Seeing the warriors without wings had no means of escape they charged straight at Leo who was already waiting to meet them with his sword, using the force he jumped off the pile of dead geonosians and landed in the center of the bugs, his lightsaber arm swung wildly at everything that moved running at or from him the roar of the Starfighter getting louder every second.

On the southern ridge, Alpha watched Leo get surrounded by the geonosians again "Bombers be advised Commander Rock is danger close."

"Copy Alpha do we proceed?" The lead fighter "Confirmed, bombs away… good luck kid." Alpha said as the Starfighter rained fire down on the Separatists and lone jedi standing against them insurmountable foes, and in one fiery blast all the Jedi and clones saw the outer defenses of the Geonosians blown to kingdom come.

Once the squadron arrived Anakin and Mundi's group met up and made their way to the rendezvous point just as the reinforcements finished clearing the area. The Jedi deactivated their sabers as the group ran up to Obi-Wan, who was sitting against a crate. "Master Kenobi!" Ahsoka said kneeling beside him while looking over him with concern.

"Well, what happened to you?" Anakin asked with a smirk upon noticing the cut on his face and dirt covered armor.

"I could ask you the same thing." He retorted up to him, as Captain Alpha and his men returned with the out of commission General Krell. A medic ran up to greet them and check on the General and when Anakin and Ahsoka saw them they broke off into a sprint leaving Mundi and Obi-Wan behind.

Alpha looked over at the nearest clone "I need a full squad of clones right now." Alpha ordered.

"Captain Alpha, where's Leo?" Anakin asked before the Clone Captain looked at him "Commander Rock covered our retreat from the front, he stayed behind even during the airstrike." Captain Alpha reported.

Anakin curled both hands into a fist and grabbed the clone trooper by the armor "And you left him behind?"

Alpha glared at him from under his helmet "He ordered us to retreat General Skywalker, I'm getting a search and rescue party together before the bugs can regroup."

"Then we're coming with you, Ahsoka, Rex lets go."

Anakin ran out of the regrouped Republic forces with his padawan and the two arc troopers behind him and a full squad of fresh clones. "Does he always run off like that?" Mundi asked next to Commander Jet and Cody with Obi-Wan.

"Always on the move." Obi-Wan said.

When they reached the killing field, they climbed over the hill that Krell had ordered Alpha and Leo to take; they saw it all.

"Holy." Rex said at the sight of the piles of Geonosian bodies amassed around the field, craters filled with them from the enemy Starfighters up against the enemy shields. "Did Leo do all this?" Ahsoka asked Alpha "I don't see any blaster marks do you?" Alpha said.

Skywalker shook himself from what he was seeing "Spread out, we don't have much time before the bugs regroup." He ordered.

The clones and Ahsoka spread out across the field looking around the half buried bodies and pits filled with mutilated geonosian corpses "LEO!" Ahsoka called out, putting her hands around her mouth.

"Commander Rock!" Alpha echoed.

Anakin walked over the bodies open by one till he saw a human hand sticking out from a large mound of turned over sand and geonosians sticking out to the sky, "Over here!" Anakin related to everyone.

Running over to the dirt Anakin dropped to his knees and grabbed the hand squeezing it before he pulled out from the dirt like coming back from the dead was Leo covered in more dirt then everyone put together. His green robes were smothered in the red powder sand, coughing up an extra cup of dirt Leo blinked a few times seeing the faces of Anakin and Ahsoka in front of him "... what took you so long?"

LATER

The surviving jedi and clones were gathered around a large holopad in front of them and brought up the hologram of the area. Everyone in the attack force was standing except Obi-Wan who spoke while he remained sitting against the crate, "Our combined forces should be enough to destroy the shield generator. Anakin you'll need to take a small squad through the shield, as close as you can get to their gun emplacements. From there, you'll be able to temporarily jam their scanners so they are unable to target the incoming tanks." he said as he gestured towards the generator as it flashed while two AT-TE's moved towards the area multiple times.

Obi-Wan looked up from the viewer before continuing, "Once the tanks knock out the shield, Master Mundi can bring the rest of the troops in with the gunships." Mundi stood up from his kneeled position and looked at Anakin. "Consider it done, Master." the Knight assured with a confident smirk.

"Leo you and Alpha take the other side and meet us in the middle." Anakin said over to Leo.

"Yes sir, how's General Krell?" Leo asked.

"Stable but still unconscious." Anakin replied "Understood, we'll be sure to be right beside you." Leo said.

A few minutes later the clones started moving some of the remaining tanks towards the shield while Anakin and the two padawans along their own squads of clones waited patiently inside the shield for Mundi's squad to give them the signal. "Begin the attack." Jet's voice came over one the clones.

The Jedi ignited their sabers before the group started running towards the generator while dodging, deflecting, slashing and shooting any Geonosians in their way. A minute later they reached the heavily defended structure and the Jedi took cover behind one of the boulders right below the generator while the clones covered them.

"Let's jam their scanners! Droid poppers, ready!" Anakin said as he handed each of them one before they threw the EMP grenades onto the structure.

Leo came in on the other side with Alpha and the other clones "Droid poppers Alpha." Leo told the Captain "Copy." Alpha said as they all lobbed the grenades into the droids, the bombs fell between the droids feet's exploding with electrical bubbles deactivated every droid.

"Looks like it's working." Ahsoka pointed out as the cannons and scanners shut down. "It won't last long." Anakin reminded before speaking through his com, "Bring up the tanks." Mundi ordered from behind.

The tanks passed through the enemy shield and opened fire on the generators taking them out in a series of explosions, without their cover the Geonosians turned tail and ran as Muindi and his troops flew in on their gunships to reinforce the positions taken by the other jedi. The clones let out cheers of victory watching the bugs scatter like ants before them, Leo looked over at Anakin and Ahsoka who waved at him but Leo didn't wave back he just turned around and started to walk away.

"Good job kid." Alpha said patting Leo on the back looking forward vacantly "Thank you Captain Alpha."

"Where are you going?" Alpha asked him "I'm going to go check on my Master." He said walking away as Alpha watched him, he looked over at the killing field that Leo had filled then back at the Berserker leaving his side.

A while later they returned back to the rendezvous point and while Anakin helped Obi-Wan to the gunship Mundi was on, Ahsoka ran up to them. "So, Master. What was your total?" she asked him.

"Not now, Ahsoka." Anakin replied.

"Come on. Are you afraid you lost this time?" she asked with a teasing smirk. "Fine. 55. That's my count, and you?" he asked with a smirk of his own. Ahsoka stopped before replying, smirk still in place.

"60. Looks like I won." Anakin stopped and turned them around causing Obi-Wan to almost trip and bring all three of them to the dirt. "Yeah, but I called in the air strike! Tie!" he said, a smirk still on his face. "You're impossible." she said shaking her while continuing to smirk before walking off.

"65." Mundi said suddenly.

Anakin and Ahsoka both looked at him in shock "What?" Anakin asked "My total Skywalker, 65 so what do I win?" Mundi asked Obi-Wan from him.

"My undying respect for Master Mundi." Skywalker said.

Ki-Adi's face turned a bit sour as he said "oh."

"That is worth a great deal Master Mundi." Obi-Wan said smiling, "Wonder how much Rusty had?" Ahsoka asked

Leo was standing over General Krell who was sitting up on a crate with a medic patching him up as Leo finished his report.

Krell coughed resting on the stretcher "And our losses?" Krell asked.

"Heavy, nearly the entire landing force was wiped out but we won the day sir." Leo said to Krell who scoffed "One the day, how simple minded you are to think winning one battle is enough." Krell said dismissive of his efforts.

Leo felt both hands squeeze tight into fists "But even so." Krell said suddenly "You did well taking command as you did, putting the needs of the mission above all else, even your own life." Krell said looking at Leo who fought the urge to smile.

"What did you make of the Geonosian warrior?" Krell asked him then.

Leo stiffened remembering the battle in flashes, the strong emotions of battle coursing through him "They are… they were very brave."

"Or foolish daring to stand against us Jedi, never forget padawan we Jedi represent the power of the living force, we are power incarnate to challenge us to challenge the force and to fail as they did." Krell said to him.

Leo nodded "Yes Master."

"Now go." Krell said, dismissing.

"As you wish, my master." Leo said before bowing and walking away.

Walking through the landing point as the clones unpacked everything they'd need for the coming siege of the factory, Leo saw Ahsoka coming up to him covered in nearly just as much dirt and dust "Long day huh?" Ahsoka asked.

"Nothing we're not used to." Leo said smiling.

"Yeah I could use a fresher right about now." She said holding up her hand, she grasped it in a fistful squeezing it in comradeship before she let go.

"I'm sorry if you thought we doubted you Leo." Ahsoka said "Don't worry about it Ahsoka I know what you were just worried about me going back to my old Master."

Ahsoka scratched her arm avoiding his gaze as if to hide something "I-we would have missed you probably."

Leo smiled next to her before stopping looking out over at the factory. "Do know Ventress put that mask on me when I refused to do as she said."

"Yeah that mask was creepy." Ahsoka said remembering the duel on Mustafar "Hurt to but not as much as what she did to me, torturing me to try and get me to fall to the dark side, do you know what kept me from giving in?" He asked her.

Ahsoka thought for a moment "You pictured her in her underwear?"

The red headed Padawan's face turned almost as green as his tunic, when it wasn't stained with dirt "Ugh no now I may vomit." He said as they both started to picture the hairless harpy in lingerie. The two of them were about to walk off together to get some rest when a clone trooper ran up to Anakin as he was the only General left standing, the trooper said something to him that made Anakin snap his head over to the padawans "Leo, come here."

Immediately Leo obeyed with Ahsoka turning around with him "Yes General?" Leo asked, walking up to him quickly.

"One of the enemy battalions wants to surrender." Anakin said down to him arms crossed "Well that's good news right?" Ahsoka asked.

"Right?" Leo asked to as Anakin didn't answer yet.

Anakin gave a slight nod "They want to surrender, to the Berserker."

"What?" Leo asked when he saw a group of clones escorting an entire battalion of Geonosian warriors to the front of the landing point, they marched in parade format with a single bug out in front of them being a clone officer. Anakin led the padawans to them and looked at Leo nudging his head forward for Leo to step out when he did the Geonosian battalion all looked at him, one among the Geonosians an older one with scars on his face wearing slightly more ornate armor then the others looked at him directly. Assuming this was the commander gulping Leo raised his hand and "I… accept your surrender?" After he spoke the lead bug got down on one knee followed by the entire battalion kneeling in surrender to the padawan.

"That's something you don't see everyday." Ahsoka said arms crossed like Anakin.

As they both looked at Leo Alpha walked up behind him "One hundred." Alpha said.

"What?" Anakin asked Alpha to take off his helmet "You still keep totals right Skywalker?" Alpha asked him.

Anakin cocked a brow and gave his famous Skywalker smile "You had one hundred kills?" He asked.

"Not me, him." Alpha said walking up next to them looking at Leo, the Berserker "Guess we'll have to come up with another nickname for Commander rock." Alpha said putting his helmet on and leaving them.

"Does that Clone have issues?" Ahsoka asked Anakin "Well he punched me in the face before he asked to be reassigned when I was a padawan." Anakin said, Ahsoka spuna round eyes wide "He punched you Master?"

"To be fair I deserved it I was young and reckless." Anakin said, Ahsoka gave him a puzzled look "Was?"

"Watch it." Anakin hissed back with a smirk.


	18. Weapons Factory

_GEONOSIS_

_Outskirts of Poggle's Droid Factory_

Leo stood upside down pressing on the surface of Geonosis rocks floated around him made of the same red mineral which made up the desert, "A Jedi's strength does not just flow through the force, it envelops." Master Pong Krell said standing across from him, he was holding a large wooden staff to keep himself upright still recovering from his wounds. In his upper left arm he held the staff and in the lower right he clutched his side as the others hung limp.

"Remember the focus you had during the battle yesterday, you were outnumbered, surrounded on all sides yet still you prevailed, we must learn why?" Krell said.

"W-why?" Leo asked his arms starting to buckle, Krell lifted a small stone with the force and threw it hitting Leo in the gut.

He almost fell over but took a deep breath and straightened even as beads of sweat dropped down into the sand beneath him, "Yes boy, whyyyyyy it is clear to me now that there is more to this Berserker moniker then the ridiculousness name, you may possess a latent battle meditation."

Leo looked at the upside down jedi who knelt in front of him "Use one arm." Krell ordered.

Obeying him Leo stuck his right arm out while using his left to keep him steady "As I was saying, yes battle meditation is an ancient and powerful weapon of the force that can influence entire armies. In the days of the old Republic such force wielders were prized among Jedi and Sith."

"Prized?" Leo asked, getting his attention as Krell circled him "Indeed, though it's like you are useless against our current adversaries, droids and clones feel nothing but programming." Leo clicked his tongue hearing him disrespect the clones, Krell turned around looking at the droid factory in the distance and the Republic forces gathered for a final assault.

"For now it must be sharpened honed, has Skywalker mentioned any of this to you?" Krell asked.

Leo shook his head "Speak up boy." Krell barked "No… General Krell."

"Until I am for certain you will speak nothing of this battle meditation to anyone, not even Skywalker's Padawan you've grown so close to." Leo was almost sweating buckets as the blood rushed through his head, "Is that clear Padawan?"

"... yes Master." Leo replied in a grunt, "Good now thats enough we must return to the front I sense Master Unduli will be arriving soon to reinforce us." Krell said, Leo dropped down to his feet and started to follow him back to the front.

Currently at said front, Ahsoka and Anakin got their squad of clones together while they waited for Luminara and her reinforcements to arrive, Artoo brought up a hologram of the area before Ahsoka briefed them, "This bridge is our first waypoint focus your fire on the gun emplacements, here and here. Because it's only-" she started, pointing to the bridge then two spots on the factory side as red dots appeared on the map before Anakin cut her off and continued to explain, "Because it's only after we neutralize the guns can we push for the factory." Ahsoka was about to complain to him for interrupting her.

"I was…!" she started before relenting and continuing to explain, "Yes, we can push for the factory now expect stiff resistance from-" Anakin interrupted again and moved to stand in front of her while she gave him a brief irritated look, "And don't forget to top off your energy cells and ration packs, once we leave there will be no resupply. Anything else, Ahsoka?" he asked, turning his head to her

"No. I think you've pretty much covered everything. In my briefing." she replied, sounding miffed. "Very well, squad dismissed." he said to them. The clones then took their leave. "Okay, what's next?" Anakin asked Ahsoka as they turned off the holo app.

"You know, Master my briefings might go better if you didn't interrupt me every time I tried to-" she started, her tone still irritated before he interrupted her again, "I wasn't interrupting, I was trying to help you." he said, defending himself.

Ahsoka only seemed to get even angrier "Which I would appreciate if you didn't interrupt me to do it. I just think you don't trust me to give the briefing!" she accused me of frowning.

Her master suddenly turned to face her. "It's not about trust it's about getting the job done right." he said defensively.

She raised her finger like a lawyer about to object "So you don't trust me to get the job done right! I knew it!" she accused.

Anakin sighed at her claim "Snips, I never-" he started only for Ahsoka to interrupt him this time "No. No. It's okay, I understand. I'm the padawan you're the master." she said, her tone sounding bitter as she crossed her arms in annoyance, just as Pong and Leo approached them from the lower part of the hill overlooking the factory.

"Is it always like this?" Krell asked, crossing his staff over his chest and leaning on it "Not- mostly." Leo whispered

A few minutes later Luminara and Barriss' gunship landed while Ahsoka and Anakin started arguing again "Maybe if you'd listen to me!" Anakin accused.

"Well if you don't trust me then maybe you should send me back!" Ahsoka shot back.

"Don't tempt me, Snips." he said, sounding like he just might. They looked like they were gonna start again just as Luminara and her padawan approach. Like Luminara the padawan was a green skinned miralian with diamond markings on her forehead and chin. She wore a blue hood with a short cape, similar to a hijab or cowl over a dark black Jed gown fitting a miralian like her master. She appeared to be older or more developed than Ahsoka, tall and slender with a sense of grace as she followed her Master.

"It appears Skywalker and his apprentice are at it again Pong." Luminara said walking up beside Krell who approached the two bickering jedi "It will pass once we begin our mission." Pong said to Luminara and her padawan as they followed.

"Again Master?" The padawan asked "Lets just say they have a pension with regulations and rules of command."

Both Ahsoka and Anakin snapped to as the Jedi gathered "Well Barriss aren't you going to introduce yourself." Luminara said hands behind her back gesturing to the girl behind her, she walked up to Ahsoka and Anakin "Padawan Barriss Offee at your service." She said with a soft brow and courtesy that made Anakin smile with her formallness and made Ahsoka cringe.

"Uh Likewise." She said offering her a hand to Barriss to shake Ahsoka narrowed her eyes at the interaction before they all turned their attention to Anakin as he spoke "Its good to see you again."

"I wish it were under more peaceful circumstances."

They activated the holopmap again and stood close to Barriss before Luminara spoke, "A frontal assault is risky our losses will be high." she said, her voice taking on a worried tone as she held her chin.

"But not as high as they'll be if that factory comes online." Anakin said, crossing his arms.

Krell then interjected "The sacrifices will be worth it, we can't afford to loose our momentum." Krell added.

"Indeed, but there is an alternative." she started, as a series of tunnels appeared beneath the factory before crossing her arms and continuing, "Every Geonosian building has a series of catacombs beneath it that run deep underground." she finished before Barriss spoke next, "Some of the tunnels are close enough to this cliff wall, so that you could cut a hole and make an entry point." she said as the red dot moved down and towards the wall.

Luminara spoke again as the dot started weaving up through one of the tunnels, "Once inside, we could find the main reactor, plant the explosives and blow the factory inside out." she finished as the dot expanded and covered the factory before disappearing.

"Looks like a good way to get lost if you ask me." Anakin said, his tone sounding unconvinced it would work.

"To the unprepared, perhaps." Luminara said before looking at and gesturing to Barriss as she continued, "But I have instructed Barriss to memorize the labyrinth, all 200 junctions."

Anakin gave Luminara a grin and spoke, "You always were thorough." he said with a smirk. "It pays for one to be prepared, right Barriss?" she asked.

"Especially when other people's lives depend on your success." Barriss agreed, Leo couldn't help but notice that the battlefield was cleared of all the Geonosians and droids half buried in the sand was a Geonosian statue being used to set up a clone cannon before his attention returned to the planning.

"How do we keep the Geonosians occupied while someone else is setting the bombs?" Ahsoka asked.

"Good point, Snips. If whoever's going in there has gotta be successful, we'll need to create a diversion." Anakin said, turning his attention to Luminara. "Precisely. That task will be carried out by you and I, Skywalker. While the destruction of the factory falls to the padawans." Luminara said

"Now hold on, who decided that?" Anakin asked her, frowning as Ahsoka placed her hand on her hips and glared at him. "Walking into that factory could be suicide!" he argued.

The jedi master next to him glared at the man "Not if you and I are successful at holding Poggle's attention at the bridge." Luminara said to Anakin

Ahsoka leaned over to Anakin who still wasn't a believer in the plan "Master, I can do this I've had riskier assignments!" she argued.

"But unlike Barriss, you aren't prepared for this mission." he argued back. "Not to worry, my padawan is reliable." Luminara assured.

"She can lead them through the maze." Luminara assured again. "We'll be in and out, Master." Barriss assured as well.

"See? Dependable Barriss will get us through don't worry, Master as you well know, I can follow orders." she said with a slight mocking tone and smirk while folding her arms.

Krell been silent eas each jedi and their padawan mimicked each other, so did Leo in his silence "Master Krell what do you think?"

"I endorse Luminara's plan, boy what say you?" Pong asked Leo who was looking back at the factory "Boy!" Pong snapped before Leo turned around all eyes on him.

Leo reached for his lightsaber squeezing it "I think we should offer the Geonosians a chance to surrender."

Both Ahsoka and Anakin at the same time said "What?"

"You don't have faith in Master Unduli plan boy?" Krell accused, Leo looked up at him put off by all the looks he was getting. "N-no sir, but we're here to take Poggle the Lesser right?" Leo asked them.

"That is the primary objective, what of it?" Luminara asked with a cocked brow eager to hear what Leo was getting at.

Leo looked back at the factory and fallen Geonosian pillar behind them and held his hand up to it "Lets offer the Geonosians an ultimatum, we know Poggle is in the factory we offer a trade they give us Poggle and shut down the factory and…"

"And what boy?" Krell growled at him wanting him to finish the sentence "And we leave."

"Leave!" Krell yelled at him "Have you lost your mind boys, the hostiles nearly wiped us out yesterday, you defeated them and you just want to leave?" Krell barked at him.

Leo took the brunt of the scolding waiting for his master to finish "It's their planet Master, we're the hostiles."

"While I admire your desire to end the fighting Padawan Rock it was the Geonosians who started this war by building the droid army in the first place." Master Unduli pointed out to him "Now is there anything else?" Luminara asked them, nobody said anything.

"It's decided then." Luminara said as she handed Ahsoka a backpack, who slipped it on while continuing to smirk. "I guess it is." Anakin said, still sounding like he was against the idea.

Luminara then raised her wrist showing a chronometer on her gauntlet, "We'll monitor your progress on these chronometers." Luminara said, handing them each one. Leo attached it to his off-hand wristband before Luminara spoke again, "We'll sync on my mark." They got ready to press the button as she counted down, "Three. Two. One. Mark." The devices beeped simultaneously and flashed green once for all the jedi wearing them. "Let's get going after you Barris." Ahsoka said as Barriss took the lead and they started running towards the bridge "Come on Rusty try to keep up." Ahsoka called before Leo followed her and Barriss down the hill.

"You know Pong, you could go a little easier on the boy, Leo's been through a lot lately?" Anakin said next to Pong who leaned on his cane "Skywalker I…" Pong sighed "perhaps you're right, maybe I am too hard on the boy but even a Rock must be polished for it to shine." Krell said.

"That's rather… poetic?" Anakin said.

As the Padawans shrunk into the distance, Luminara waited till they were far enough away none of them would hear "But you fear Ahsoka is not up to the task?" Luminara asked Anakin.

"I never said that." Anakin said, Luminara could tell something was bothering Anakin "What is it then?" She asked.

"Nothing, lets prepare the men." Anakin said walking past her back to the troops.

Krell followed them from behind sharing a glance with Luminara till they approached Artoo who created a holo app of the factory, bridge and catacombs beneath it "We'll need to make a bold move to keep their attention off the Padawans." Luminara said as Anakin crossed his arms looking at the hologram.

"Pong do you have any suggestions?" Anakin asked the aged Besalisk "In my current state I've no use on the battlefield, but we should focus our forces on the bridge and I sense you have a plan Skywalker?" Krell asked.

"Best plan is to march our troops up the middle, parade style, they can't resist that." Anakin suggested Artoo heard his command and showed holograms of the republic forces meeting the droids on the bridge "With no cover?" Luminara asked him.

"We'll have to make it tempting." Anakin urged.

Krell leaned on his walking stick "Why not send the clones over in a charge instead, all out assault?"

"Casualties would be too high, I won't sacrifice my men's lives needlessly." Anakin said "Or mine." Luminara said.

"Much must be risked in war my Jedi brothers, much indeed." Krell said looking in the distance at the factory.

_DROID FACTORY_

Inside the factory, Poggle the Lesser was overseeing the creation of a new droid army red tinted from the ore mined from the planet's surface. Behind Poggle was the factory itself rows and rows of droids on racks being built on an assembly line as Commander Droid examined the factories data "The factory is operating at fifty percent capacity, we have five new regiments of battle droids ready to be deployed."

Poggle spoke to him in geonosian that the droid could easily understand "No the super tanks are not ready yet, but when they are no weapon the Republic will be able to stop us."

OUTSIDE THE FACTORY

Anakin and Luminara were marching in full force to the droid factory with their entire army behind them, clones in parade march and the tanks between each battalion. Commander Jet stood close behind Luminara as they marched "Pong we're closing in on the factory." Unduli replied to Pong Krell who was behind at the command post watching from a holopad. Among the clone troopers were Rex, Jet and Alpha walking side by side behind the jedi.

"Must be strange being back on Geonosis Captain Alpha." Jet asked him.

Alpha snickered under his mask "Been to one rock been to them all."

"May the force be with you Masters." Pong said, leaning on his staff watching.

Back with Luminara and Anakin the two of them continued walking "Is it true what happened to Pongs Padawan, an entire battalion of Geonosians surrendering to him?"

"You mean after-" "After he defeated over a hundred of their warriors?" Luminara asked him as Anakin started to get where she was going.

"Its true and I don't think Master Krell cared that much." Anakin said to her.

Luminara glanced at him "Why do you say that, he's not your Padawan?"

"And yet I think I've trained him more than Pong has." Anakin said as they saw the gate of the droid factory rise and a full army of fully assembled battle droids marching out.

"Here come the droids, everybody steady, steady keep marching." Anakin said.

Luminara saw them too and added "I hope the Padawans made it past the bridge by now." As she said it the droid marching out was unaware after reaching the bridge Leo, Barris and Ahsoka had started to climb down the cliff as droids started to march across it. "Hurry droids are coming." Leo warned before they started climbing down a bit faster.

"That looks like a lot of droids." Anakin said beside Luminara "Well it is a droid factory."

"As long as we can destroy them faster then they can make them, we'll come out on top." Anakin said.

Luminara snickered, shaking her head at his confidence, "I love your simple logic Skywalker." She said before they both took out their green and blue lightsabers and charged the droid when they opened fire.

"How you feeling Captain Alpha?" Rex asked the older clone who drew his pistols "Like I'm home." Alpha said running

Once nearing the bottom they jumped down and ran over the other cliff wall Barriss felt around for a second before igniting her saber and cutting a big rectangle in it then used the Force to pull the rock out and drop it on the ground. "Nice work." Ahsoka complimented before walking up to the hole.

"Well, here goes nothing." she said before Barriss grabbed her shoulder to stop her. "I should go in first. I know the way." she reminded them.

"Be my guest." Ahsoka said with a smirk and gestured to the hole

Barriss stepped in, looking around for a bit followed by Ahsoka then Leo who grabbed her shoulder "Alright my turn to ask, are you alright?" Leo asked.

"Can we talk about this later?" Ahsoka asked him "Fair enough." He replied before they followed Barriss into the caverns.

"I must say it is rather interesting to finally meet you both, let alone work alongside you I would have introduced myself earlier but you two were busy." Barriss said in front of them.

Ahsoka and Leo like always looked at one another confused "I'm sorry?" Ahsoka asked "I saw you at Nahdars graduation party, you came with Selene right?" Barriss asked.

"Oh you were there two?" Leo said in a low voice "I was, most of the padawans there were talking about the both of you the fearless Ahsoka Tano and Leo Rock the Berserker."

"Fearless, I like the sound of that." Ahsoka said smugly.

After a few minutes of jogging through the dark caves they stopped and pressed their backs against the walls as they noticed two Geonosians up ahead on guard. The bugs looked in their direction for a couple of seconds before walking off. The three padawans crouched before moving forward again when they came up on a corridor with some light shining in it and lots of sleeping Geonosians before stopping.

"They're sleeping." Barriss whispered. "We have to find another way." Ahsoka whispered urgently as she looked around.

"We don't have time! This direction is the fastest." Barriss whispered back to her, gesturing forward with a nod.

Ahsoka still didn't think it was a good idea like Anakin "Maybe you're wrong!" Ahsoka whispered back, hoping she was. "Trust me." Barriss urged back before the couple started moving forward again with Ahsoka trailing behind them.

The padawans moved slowly while making sure not to touch any outstretched limbs when a hand suddenly landed on Barriss' head.

"Ahsoka- Leo." Barriss tried to call out in a whisper, both padawans looked back to see the hand and came up to gently lift the warriors and off her head not to wake him. When they moved ahead none of them realized the warrior was awake.

As they moved on Barriss guided them down the labyrinth of tunnels "Left at the next junction." Barriss told them as they walked forward before turning left.

"Dead end." Ahsoka said after they noticed a wall in front of them. "If we make a wrong turn, we may never find our way out you do remember the way, don't you?" Ahsoka asked, her tone becoming worried.

Barriss held her chin in thought. "Of course I do." she replied frowning before looking around. Her eyes widened as she looked up behind her. "It's not left. It's up!" she realized. "It's this way." she said before jumping up through the hole above them, Ahsoka jumped next then finally Leo and behind them was the Geonosian warrior who they'd accidentally awoken.

Up on the battlefield, Luminara and Anakin were pressing on against the droids as a squad of droidekas rolled up to stop them. "Rex a little help here?" Anakin ordered his second in command.

"Get up there trooper." Rex ordered Jet who ran between the two Jed I with a rocket launcher blasting the droids into oblivion along with a barrage of cannon fire from the Republic tanks, running past both jedi Alpha jumped right into the droids shooting wildly from all directions not missing a single mark "Come on you clankers, GIVE ME A REAL FIGHT!"

Inside Poggle's factory the Geonosian leader slammed his fist down on his holotable watching the Republic getting closer and closer before he turned to his command droid "My lord I beg you to let us use the secret weapo?"

Poggle then asked him something in the bug "We have twenty units in reserve and another on the way."

Poggle nodded then seeing no other choice "Thank you my lord." The droid said before he pressed a button on the command rooms console.

"Deploy the supetanks attack formation."

Outside the factory gates suddenly poured twenty new droid vehicles rolled out of the factory across the bridge, they were bulbous with shell like designs and blue tripes of the Confederacy running on the top and back of them.

"Looks like the Separatists have a new toy." Luminara said stopping along with the clones, Anakin looked back at the Arc trooper with him "Rex pick your targets."

Rex heard him and was already by the Republic cannons "Yes sir, elevation four two seven." Rex ordered as the guns raised up.

Down under the factory a few minutes later the padawans reached the top and climbed out just underneath the factory before looking through a hole above them. "Whoa that's a lot of droids." Ahsoka said as multiple rows of droids were moved along the area.

"If they get operating our forces are done for." Leo said urgently.

"Come on the main control room's this way." Barriss said as they took off forward and down another tunnel later they climbed up through a metal tube still unaware of the Geonosian warrior behind them.

"This is it we're here." Barriss said after they opened the hatch, the padawans hopped out of it and into a giant circular room with the reactor in the middle.

The three ran up to it and Ahsoka started attaching the explosives to it while Leo and Barriss were on lookout "Is it true you faced down a hundred Geonosians on your own when you landed here?" Barriss asked.

"What?" Leo asked "Jet one of the clones I know told me how you fought off an entire battalion of Geonosian warriors on your own?"

Leo scratched the back of his head feeling embarrassed "Oh that um… yeah it was nothing."

"Nothing, you're funny." Barriss said as Ahsoka planted the bombs.

Once she placed the last one she pressed a button on her chronometer and slipped her pack back on. "And now we make ourselves scarce." Ahsoka said quietly before they started running. Only to stop when a blast door opened up, revealing Poggle the Lesser, the droid commander and six Geonosians and a new super tank. The padawans ignited their sabers and got ready "What in the Stars is that?" Leo gasped seeing the super tank.

"New tank by the looks of it." Ahsoka said.

Poggle pointed and clicked something in his native tongue next to hid droid before turning around to leave.

"You heard his highness, collect their pathetic little bombs then we will kill them." the command droid said as Poggle shut the door and the tank's guns started firing. The Jedi were forced back from the blasts while the Geonosians started removing the bombs. Ahsoka put her saber away and took her pack off before grabbing a bomb from her pack.

"See if your stupid tank this!" she taunted before throwing a bomb on the tank right where the droid was standing. The droid laughed. "Fool, the super tank is impervious to all weapons-" it started before the bomb went off and destroyed it unfortunately the tank wasn't even scratched and it opened fire again, with the Jedi starting to deflect again.

Up on the surface the cones were being hammered by the super tanks, even Anakin and Luminara were falling back behind cover "Rex, get the man to pull back."

"But sir, you can't just expect us to cut and run?" Rex asked him, refusing to retreat even when the odds were stacked against them, "I'm not asking you to run, I need to draw those tanks out onto the bride." Anakin said, taking one of Jets packs filled with explosives.

"I see what you have in mind." Luminara said taking a pack from Jet "I always come prepared, Master lets go."

Down in the factory the droids were stealing the bombs right off the "The bombs!" Ahsoka exclaimed as more were removed.

The padawans managed to move towards the bugs and get them away from the reactor. Ahsoka deactivated her saber and grabbed one of them by the legs. She yelled out in surprise as they flew higher. "Stupid green bugger!" she yelled as the bug finally managed to shake her off by knocking her against the top of the reactor before she hit the floor hard.

Leo watched her fall "Ahsoka!" He yelled, running up to her as Barriss covered them from the super tank's fire. Barris broke off when she saw the geonosians heading for the hatch they'd come through shutting it tight before she could stop them. Leo kept trying to shake Ahsoka awake when Barriss saw the super tank closing in on them. Acting quickly Barriss rushed toward the tank and Leo watched her jump onto the top before slicing it open and going inside to take out the droid pilots.

Up above, Anakin and Luminara were planting the bombs of their own on the bridge as the tanks passed by over them. When they were done both swung up top and blew the bridge to the roaring cheers of the clones on the other side.

The two jedi looked back at the factory with its gates closed waiting on the padawans "Ahsoka and Barriss should be back by now where are they?"

"My padawan will not fail." Luminara said "Rex, Pong any word from the padawans?"

"Nothing yet sir." Rex replied "I've heard nothing as well." Pong replied from the command post.

Suddenly the gates of the factory opened again and a new wave of battle droids came marching out to meet Anakin and Luminara, like true jedi both Knights drew their sword and prepared to make a final stand.

Inside the factory when Ahsoka came too she saw the tank heading toward them "Where's Barriss?" She asked.

"Where do you think?" Leo said as the hatch to the tank opened and Barriss popped her head out, Ahsoka getting an idea got up "Come on." She said running toward the tank getting inside with Barriss, Leo got in with them making it kind of cramped.

"The bugs took the bombs!" Barriss said.

"What are we gonna do now?" Ahsoka asked them. "I don't know what to do without the bombs." Barriss admitted.

"Well this tank could destroy the power generator… and probably us along with it." Ahsoka said quietly.

"I guess that's the only choice." Barriss agreed quietly, Ahsoka and Barriss looked at Leo "Rusty?"

Leo shook his head having no other idea "Like always Ahsoka, I'm with you to the end."

Ahsoka smiled sadly and raised her comlink to contact Anakin. "Master, do you hear me?" she asked as they heard the sound of battle on the other side.

"Ahsoka! Set off the bombs, we're trapped!" they heard him yell through the com fighting off the droids. "I'm sorry, Master. We can't make it out…" she said solemnly.

"Can't make it out? Ahsoka wait!" he exclaimed before she cut off. "Fire." she said. Revan pressed the button. The tank's cannon shot the reactor and everything exploded. The blast was seen by every clone around the factory and in the distance Pong Krell stood up watching the factory fall with his padawan inside remembering Anakin's words before he bowed his head as a massive dust storm covered everything in darkness. Krell then turned around "Clone get me a gunship now!" Krell yelled running down to the ship.

When the dust settled, Anakin and Luminara were standing at the edge of a gigantic crater of burning metal and rock. The entire factory had been destroyed, caving in on itself from the explosion into a pile of smoke and ash, Anakin raised his arm "Ahsoka, Leo come in, come in?!" Anakin almost shouted into his comlink.

When no answer came Luminara knelt down "Master Luminara don't worry."

"Be at ease Skywalker." She said calmly but with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"At ease, we need to act now the Padawans may still be alive down there." V

Luminara shook her head slowly "There's not enough time, I sense them drifting away."

"No we'll get them out." Anakin declared as Gunships flew in carrying Rex, Jet, Alpha and even Pong too without his staff.

"Skywalker, Unduli well done it appears the Padawans were successful." Krell callously said to the Jedi.

"General the lifters are here to move the debri as ordered." Rex said as miles below the surface the padawans clung to life turning on their lightsabers to give them some light in the buried tank.

"How deep do you think we're buried?" Barriss asked them, when the light came on Leo found himself squished between both Padawans.

"It's probably best not to think about it." Ahsoka suggested as they all adjusted and Leo crouched over crossing his legs to hide something he was embarrassed about.

"Hand me that power cell, would you?" she asked Barriss who removed it before handing it over. "Thanks. mind holding the light?" she asked Leo, he nodded before grabbing her saber and holding both up.

"Whatever you're doing, I hope it works. Because i'd sure rather have died fighting up there than starve to death down here." she said, gloomily.

"Don't worry, we'll run out of air long before we starve." Ahsoka replied. "That's a comforting thought, thanks." Barriss said sarcastically.

"Master Skywalker has taught me a trick or two I think I can get this communicator working." Ahsoka said, holding it up starting to poke the cell and her communicator together to make a pulse.

Leo gave snarky huff "He'd be proud."

"Not as proud as defeating a small army fearlessly, too bad I won't live to hear you tell us how you did it." Barriss said over to Leo who's smile went away after she spoke "To be honest I was afraid the whole time." Leo said looking down at his lightsaber as Ahsoka kept trying to send out the distress signal.

"And when the Geonosians kept coming and coming my fear grew so much that I just let go, I forgot everything about our mission about if they got through and thought only where I needed to swing my lightsaber to stay alive, right now thats all i want to do is stay alive."

Meanwhile, on the surface the clones continued to do search and rescue as Luminara, Anakin and Pong stood overseeing it "This is a waste of time." Pong said next to Luminara "You may be right Pong." Luminara said as Anakin overheard them.

"No, we cannot abandon our Padawans." Anakin stated disgusted by the notion even being suggested.

Luminara looked at him sadly feeling his pain. "You misjudge me, I too care for my apprentice but if there is time has come…" "I refuse to let Ahsoka's die to let any of them die; they will find a way out." Anakin said firmly while Pong turned his head away hearing him speak so adamantly in keeping the Padawans alive all the besalisk jedi could do was hide his face in shame as he squeezed his staff with all four of his mighty hands helpless against an emotion Pong Krell had rarely ever felt.

Guilt.

"If my padawan has perished, I will mourn her but I will celebrate her as well as her memory." Luminara said trying to comfort Anakin as only a Jedi Master could with wisdom and patience.

"Well I still plan on celebrating this victory with my padawan, in person." Anakin growled, Krell could feel the emotions in Anakin's voice he could feel the force in Leo disappearing the fear of loneliness and from Krell only came shame.

As they kept looking underground the three padawans were running out of oxygen. "What happens to us now, doesn't matter by destroying this factory we've saved countless lives, elsewhere." Barriss said.

"Well, i'm about to save three more lives." she assured me with a smile "Never… doubted… you..." Leo said, starting to run out of air as the distress beacon signal continued to send out a pulse till it reached the top of the rubble and to Anakin's comlink.

"Wait, I'm picking up a distress signal on Ahsoka's com channel, it's coming from over there." Anakin yelled pointing to some distant rubble running up to it with the jedi and clones following him.

Ahsoka kept pressing the cell against the com, hoping it would work. "Master, I know you're up there. And I know you're looking for me." she said weakly, almost passing out, as she depleted the power cell Barriss held out her hand for Ahsoka to grab, then Leo put his palm on it to squeeze it as they waited for salvation or damnation.

The excavator ran over to the source of the signal seeing an entire mountain of rubble waiting for them "I'll move the heavy machinery over here."

"No time." Anakin said looking at Luminara, "Pong we need to-" "I know Skywalker I'm with you." Krell said dropping his walking stick and standing up raising all four arms to aid his brothers. The mountain of rubble began to lift amazing all the clones present to watch the miracle of the force before them, as more rubble flew away from the super tank air rushed into the fill the chamber the padawans were in making them gasp. Anakin and Luminara dropped their arms as Krell almost lost his footing falling to one knee the wounds he suffered taking their toll even with the force.

"Someone's digging." Ahsoka realized as they heard something moving outside before light started to shine in from an opening. Ahsoka coughed as the three walked into the sunlight.

"Ahsoka." Anakin said relieved as a few clones dropped down to help, "Barriss." Luminara said seeing them.

"I knew they were still alive, I told you we shouldn't have given up on them." Anakin said as Krell walked up with his staff in hand "It's not that I gave up on them Skywalker, but unlike you when the time comes I am prepared to let my student go. Can you say the same?" Luminara said to him, Anakin looked back at Luminara and he shook his head walking down into the pit to pull Ahsoka out.

"I knew you'd come looking for me." Ahsoka said to him with a soft smile. Anakin smiled back at her. "I never doubted you for a second." Anakin said as Barriss and Luminara reunited.

"Padawans, you did well." Luminara said.

Offee smiled "Thank you Master, but if it weren't for Ahsoka we'd still be down there." Luminara praise turned to Ahsoka as Leo came up behind the two girls "Indeed, your Master never lost faith in you."

Finally Krell started to make his way down toward them using his walking stick to keep himself upright, Leo walked through the other jedi to stand before him. Pongs face was cold and emotionless as Leo bowed "Master."

Krell looked over at Anakin and Luminara then sighed "Padawan you should have… you almost- how could you be- Ugh why is this so hard..." Pong couldn't seem to find the right words without an insult in them before he let out grumbled growling noise and took a breath before he did the strangest thing he'd ever done to Leo.

He put a hand on his shoulder "Padawan- Leo, you were exemplary today." Leo's face shot up from his bow looking at Pong's narrow and usually harsh eyes, the Besalisk gave a soft smile "Th-thank you Master." Leo said hearing the praise.

"Don't let it go to your head boy, you still have much to learn." Pong said swiftly, turning around and starting to climb out. Anakin looked back at Leo and Ahsoka, she who gave him two thumbs up with a big smile before quickly hiding them from Luminara.

**Two things**

**Quarantine helps with writing so that's why the quick updates**

**I'm going to skip 'Legacy of Terror' and go to brain invaders, I've got some Sith plans for that chapter. **


	19. Brain Invaders

**So someone commented on the Sith stuff being Darth Rock, Sorry but that won't be his sith name, if anyone has ideas for Leo eventually getting a Sith Title I'd love to hear it**

_GEONOSIS_

_Southern Hemisphere,_

"Don't let up, we have them on the run!" Leo yelled at the front of the clone troopers, Captain Alpha was behind him following closely behind as the clones tried to keep up with the two of them ready to take out the Geonosian army all on their own. General Krell's battalion was mopping up the remains of a regiment of Geonosian warriors holding out against the Republic forces.

They had dug in on the slope of a steep plateau shooting down at the advancing clones as across from them on another canyon top, Krell was watching Leo with intent.

"Remember what we discussed, Padawan, focus on whatever it is that channels the battle meditation the sooner this happens the sooner we have victory." Pong said into his comlink.

Leo heard him say "Yes Master." Leo looked at the Geonosian warriors charging down the hill engaging the advancing clones with their bare fists to fight for their home. He felt the fury and strife of the battle around him, the rage and fear between warrior and trooper all of it like screams to the mind of a Jedi, he closed his eyes and focused on it, only the thing that kept him alive in moments like this.

Then he opened his eyes, a pulse was sent through the living force back to Krell who grinned ear to ear as Leo had tapped into whatever it was he had. Whatever it was the clones felt, their pace doubled along with their tenacity "Charge!" Captain Alpha yelled as the opposite effect hit the Geonosians. The warriors skirmishing couldn't find the will to resist and lost all heart turning tail and retreating before the clones surrounded their position and they bugs dropped their guns in surrender.

"General Krell, we've secured the position." Captain Alpha reported in.

"Understood, I will join you shortly." Pong said as a Republic transport flew overhead.

When the transport landed the doors opened before Leo, Pong and Alpha to reveal Jedi Master Ki-Adi Mundi all healed up with the only other two Padawans on the planet, Barriss and Offee.

"Greetings Master Mundi, this is unexpected as you see we've mopped up the last of the resistance." Pong said as Leo watched the Geonosians be led off in chains by the clones shoving them to move along like cattle.

Mundi walked down the ramp with Ahsoka and Barris behind them "I can see that Pong, but this is another matter, Skywalker and Kenobi have been able to rescue Luminara and capture Poggle."

"Then the planet is ours." Pong said, holding up his fist.

"Not quite, I fear taking out the Geonosian leadership has turned the situation here more difficult, without a central leadership to command the remaining holdouts it will become rather chaotic in addition there is word from Dantooine."

Leo snapped his head back "What's wrong?"

"Come I'll explain on the way and we can discuss the matter of what is to become of Geonosis." Mundi said before everyone followed him into the ship.

Leo stayed back watching the Geonosians being carted off, when he was about to follow he heard a Geonosian scream.

Everyone looked to see a single Geonosian warrior kneeling down over another one, to them the bugs looked no different from the others but this one seemed to know the dead one as he held onto his fallen brother. "Get moving." One of the clones ordered but the Geonosian looked up and started to curse the clone.

"I said move it bug!" The clone barked, smashing the Geonosian in the face with the but of his rifle "Trooper." Leo said as the Geonosian started to get hammered by the clones "stop it… STOP." Leo said running over hearing the cries of the already defeated geonosian being beaten, whatever Leo had done seemed to have an after effect on the clones leaving the others still as they watched the clone beat the bug to near death.

Leo ran up and grabbed the clone, throwing him off before he kicked the others away "I SAID STOP!" Leo yelled at the clones, one of them saw him and in a split second the clone smashed his rifle into Leo's jaw and pointed the rifle at him.

In a flurry of motion, Captain Alpha appeared and tackled the out of control clone trooper and restrained him "Arrest that clone!" Pong barked, marching up to the scene as Leo stood between them and the defeated Geonosians as Pong walked up "CT-0017 escort arrest this clone for striking a superior officer."

The clone trooper helmet was peeled off and he appeared to be feral his eyes glazed over before he shook the rage off "W-what… General- Commander I-I I don't know what came over me I'm sorrry."

The jedi starred at Leo stunned at the sudden scene before Pong walked up to him parting the clones "I think that's enough padawan." Krell said his tone was back to his sour disposition.

Leo was panting before he saw the way everyone was looking at him "Yes…. my master."

_TEMPLE OF THE QUEEN_

Later and after a series of unfortunate and extremely strange events for those not accustomed to the Jedi Knights live. Anakin, Obi-Wan and their brave clones had rescued Luminara Unduli from the clutches of Geonosis's queen and her strange powers with the worms. That took hold of the replied as they walked up to Obi-Wan, Anakin and Luminara before they heard Mundi's voice from behind them as he walked up to them, "I'm afraid we have a complication." Mundi said behind Krell as the two Padawans walked out to join their respective masters Leo was behind Krell as always.

As Poggle the Lesser was escorted onto the ship, he spat right at Leo's feet as he walked.

"Don't we always?" Anakin asked with a smirk as his padawan stood behind him.

"I've just received a distress signal from our forces on Dantooine Master Windu's defense held, but at a great cost to his men they need medical supplies immediately we can obtain these supplies at the medical station near Ord Cestus." Mundi said to them.

Leo listened but got distracted when he saw the ruins of the Geonosian temple behind the Jedi and clones, yet another casualty of the battle to take a planet that none of them belonged to.

"We're delivering Poggle to Coruscant and Cestus is not exactly on the way." Anakin said Luminara walked forward.

"The Republic must begin debriefing Poggle right away if we're to get useful intelligence from him." she said.

Anakin suddenly had an idea waking behind both Padawan girls "I suggest we let our padawans handle the supply mission." Anakin smirked as he placed a hand on both Barriss and Ahsoka's shoulders.

"Whatever needs to be done I'm happy to help." Ahsoka offered with a smile "As am I." Barriss agreed, Leo looked back at them listening with one ear and looking at the temple with his eyes.

"Very well take a medical frigate and after we've delivered Poggle to Coruscant, we'll rendezvous with you on the voyage to Dantooine." Obi-Wan said Anakin had taken note of Leo's gaze on the temple and looked at it too.

Then he turned to pong "Master Krell, we'll leave the securing of Geonosis to you and your padawan." Obi-Wan said as Pong looked at the distracted Leo.

"Actually Masters… I would like to offer my Padawans assistance in Tano and Offee's mission, I believe he needs some time away from combat." Krell said in a sudden twist of the Battlefield Legends persona.

None were more surprised then Leo "W-what, but Master I belong at your side." Leo said unaware the weight his words hit on Anakin.

"I concur with Pong, after what we saw before arriving some rest from duty would serve you well Padawan Rock." Seeing the other masters back Pong's suggestion Leo knew there was no point in defying the order.

Leo closed his mouth before he could object "Yes Masters."

Luminara, Obi-Wan and Ki-Adi all ventured onto the shuttle leaving the padawans to go prepare for the voyage and Anakin alone with Pong.

Anakin turned to Pong and looked up at the besalisk "What was Ki-Adi referring too?" Anakin asked.

Pong eyed Skywalker carefully "A minor incident, the boy interfered when a clone was disciplining an enemy combatant who refused to move, but still I think it prudent that Leo leave this planet sooner rather then later."

"You and me both, I'm glad to see you taking an interest in your padawans well being." Anakin said before he realized what he had just said.

It earned him the ire of the besalisk "I- meant no offense Pong I just…." "No apologies required Skwalker, I must say thank you instead your own actions in recusing the Padawans earlier have shown me my own failures as a Master."

"We as the older generation must guide and protect the younger generation if they are to continue the traditions of our Order, one I intend to see stand for another thousand years." Pong said standing tall watching the padawans walk away.

"There the future of the Jedi aren't they?" Anakin asked, smiling "One can only hope Skywalker, one can only hope."

Eventually the padawans along with a squad of clones under Barris's command walked onto the frigate and the pilots started take off a moment later. The Jedi walked to the bridge as Fisto appeared on the view screen. "We are ready to make our jump Master Fisto." Barriss said.

"Good. I look forward to your arrival." he replied, giving them a smile before cutting off as they entered hyperspace.

When they jumped Leo turned to the door and walked away in silence out of the bridge, he reached into the folds of his robes and pulled out the red kyber crystal almost forgetting he'd had it with him "You've been quiet lately?" Leo whispered to it.

**I was simply admiring your work, the fear the insects had for you was almost…. intoxicating.**

Leo glared down at the crystal "What is happening to me, why am I feeling such… anger?" Leo asked the crystal.

**My dear child, if only you knew the power of anger**

The boys walked and led him to the crew quarters where he passed by the clones getting into their bunks happy to sleep on beds instead of rocks for a change. He closed his fist around the crystal before he got safely into his own room "Show me then." Leo said before he sat down on the floor placing the crystal down, sitting legs crossed Leo felt the force flow into and out of the crystal and in a flash he entered its dimension.

_Leo was transported away from his quarters and onto the barren wastes of a desolate world, he was in the middle of a great arena surrounded by battle. Red lightsabers and melee weapons from swords, axes and spears flew around him he reached for his lightsaber but it was gone suddenly a titanic dark warrior wielding a great axe appeared before him before a red lightsaber appeared through his chest. _

_The warrior fell and behind him Leo looked to see the Sith Spirit behind him, he was wearing a chainmail sleeve on his right arm and leather greaves on his feet, with most of his chest tattooed with sith markings "W-what is this?" Leo asked._

"_A test." The spirit said as the battle raged around them "A test for what?" _

"_To see who is worthy of apprenticeship." The Sith said pointing up to the only box in the arena. There stood a black cloaked figure on a throne looking down, Leo took only one look to know that it was no ordinary person; it was a Sith Lord. _

_The spirit spoke again "Only the strongest may be worthy of the Lord's teachings, here gathered are some of the fiercest warriors of my time and it was only through anger I SURVIVED!" The sith said suddenly striking at Leo only to hit above him and sever the head of a tholothian gladiator with a triton._

_The sith spirit walked over and picked up the trident "Care to join." He said tossing Leo the trident_

_When he caught it looked around at the fighting and without a second thought plunged into the vision. _

Back on the bridge none of them had noticed Leo had left "Alright I think I'm going to get some shut eye, what about you Leo?" Ahsoka asked when she saw he was gone.

"Where'd he go?" Ahsoka asked Barris "Perhaps Master Mundi and Krell were right, he did need some rest from battle and speaking of."

"I could use a nap too." Ahsoka said over to Barris before the two girls returned to their quarters. When they arrived at the padawan quarters Ahsoka was about to knock on Leo's room "Probably asleep." She said unaware that inside Leo's room, the boy was floating off the floor, his eyes bright red like the crystal that surged with dark side energy between his palms seething into the boy's mind.

Later when Ahsoka and Barriss arrived at their room, both of them being girls around the same age decided to share a cot aboard the medical ship.

After a while when she couldn't find the ability to go to sleep, Ahsoka laid there thinking while hearing her toss and turn, she looked over at Barriss who had her eyes closed shut but Ahsoka could sense her counterpart was still awake.

"What is it?" Barriss asked her from the other side of the room, eyes still shut.

"It's too quiet it's a big change from all the fighting the last few days." Ahsoka complained as Barriss faced her raising her head and opening her eyes. "You should enjoy this peace while it lasts." She suggested.

"I can't let's go eat." Ahsoka suggested Barriss nodded and got up "Should we see if Leo wants to join us, you two are so much alike he probably can't sleep either?" Barriss added as hey walked out of their own room.

The girls made their way to Leo's door and wrapped their knuckles on the door "Hey Rusty, you want to get some food?" Ahsoka called in.

But no answer came, "Must be asleep, best not to wake him?" Barriss pointed out.

"Guess so, come on." Ahsoka said as a clone trooper with a tattoo on his forehead walked past them unnoticed into the clone quarters. He was holding a backpack over his shoulders before he walked in on the sleeping troopers. Kneeling down through the contents of the bags outside at first glance they looked like green fruits before they hatched to reveal eggs, eggs from the Geonosian queen. The worms slithered out and up the walls of the beds into every nose of the clone troopers asleep at first they all thrashed and gagged before going limp and rising in one motion, one mind, one purpose.

What neither the padawans or none of the rest of the crew knew was that inside Leo's room and inside his very mind something else was happening all together.

_Leo was at the center of the kyber crystals spell, in the heat of the culling fighting swarms of oncoming wraiths wielding all manor of weapons. At his back covering his flank was the fallen Jedi within the crystal, this ghostly avatar of rage and fury wielded a red lightsaber that matched the color of the crystals sky as the Dark Lord above them watched the battle._

_Amongst the gladiators Leo started to see them shift into the Geonosian warriors who defended their home, his triton and the siths lightsaber piercing and slashing them into nothing, "You feel it don't you, the fear you felt when you faced them." The spirit said in Leo's ear. _

"_Good embrace it, it'll keep you focused, honed and precise." The spirit said before Leo looked behind him to see the spirit was gone but his words continued and Leo found he wasn't just holding the trident anymore." _

"_Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to…" Leo looked around surrounded on all sides wielding the trident and unknown in his right hand he held the ancient siths lightsaber "... Salvation." _

Outside the dream, Ahsoka and Barriss were in the mess hall eating rations off a tray. It turned out the two girls were the only ones in the mess hall as the rest of the crew were asleep or on the bridge.

"I was just thinking about what you said earlier about enjoying the peace while it lasts as a Jedi, I'm not sure I know how to do that." Ahsoka admitted before taking a bite.

"Master Windu has said we are keepers of the peace not warriors however once the war is over it will be our job to maintain the peace." Barriss replied.

"Yes, but will we do so as keepers of the peace or warriors and, what's the difference?" Ahsoka asked her.

"I don't have all the answers, Ahsoka. Like you, I'm a learner. What does your Master tell you?" she asked while taking a drink.

"Anakin? Oh, um… you might find some of his thoughts on the future… a bit radical." Ahsoka replied.

"Really why?" Barriss asked, smiling a bit curious.

"Let's just say my Master will always do what needs to be done I'm not even sure how peacetime will agree with him." she replied.

Barriss poked at her food "I'd like to ask Leo the same thing?"

"What do you mean?" Ahsoka asked her, "Before we destroyed the weapons factory, Leo was the only one who suggested we offer the Geonosians a chance to surrender seemed out of character for someone called the Berserker."

Ahsoka nodded "Yeah…. out of character, you know I better go check on him."

She was about to get up when the door opened revealing Ox and Edge with their blaster rifles out, to the two padawans they only saw the clone troopers as normal comrades "Evening, Ox, Edge would you like to join us?" Ahsoka asked, smiling while the clones just stared at them.

"Is something wrong troopers?" Ahsoka asked slowly, the clones stepped into the room and the clones raised their blasters opening fire Barriss and Ahsoka stood up, ignited their sabers and deflecting as well. Ahsoka flipped the table and they hid behind it, deactivating their sabers.

"Troopers! Stand down!" Ahsoka ordered just as one of them aimed over the table. Barriss reactivated hers for a moment to cut his blaster in half before punching him away just as the other attempted to go around. Ahsoka then force pushed him into the first and against the wall, knocking them out. The door opened as two other clones named Trap and Havoc entered, blasters aimed.

Barriss and Ahsoka ignited their sabers and brought the tips close to the troopers necks "What are you doing?" Trap asked surprise as they raised their hands in surrender.

"Two clones just attacked us! What is going on?!" Ahsoka demanded.

"Trap do you know what happened to those troopers?" Barriss demanded.

"Couldn't tell you, Commander. I'm just as confused as-" he started before she cut him off, "You're in charge of those men did you order them to kill us?!" Ahsoka demanded again.

"No, sir! I did not!" he replied quickly.

The clones looked at one another with confused expressions at a loss for words "What's happening, why would they do this?!" Ahsoka demanded again.

Havoc answered, "We don't know we heard shots!"

"Why should we believe you?" Barriss demanded. "Look we'll even put our guns down." Trap said as he and Havoc put them down the girls shared a look and seemed to believe them before they sheathed their swords.

"These men wouldn't just attack us without reason." Barriss said, still confused.

"My Master had a clone betray them once, a traitor who was paid off by Ventress." Ahsoka said, frowning from remembering but Barriss wasn't convinced "It can't be that simple." Barriss argued before waking over to the unconscious clones and continuing, "At least it didn't feel like that.".

Trap then stepped forward "Excuse me, sir we should make sure that we're still in control of the bridge." Trap suggested.

"Bridge, this is Barriss. Respond." she said over her comlink but only to receive no answer. "We need to get up there, we need to find out what's going on." Ahsoka said, urgently before dread crossed her face.

"What- what is it?" Barriss asked her friend.

The torgurtan turned to the miralian "If these clones came for us, they must have gone after Leo too come on!" She said running to the door.

"But these two will be coming around any minute." Barriss warned stopping. "Havoc can watch them until we check on the bridge." Trap suggested as his brother picked up his blaster ready to go.

"Okay let's go." Ahsoka said before Trap picked up his gun before the three left the room and started heading to Leo's room.

In said room the kyber crystal was working its power on Leo his red hair was swirling up as his eyes glowed red and the interior of his mind was being warped.

_The warriors in the visions arena were thinned out to only a few, through the triton into a gamorean siths face, as he sliced another geonosian with his red lightsaber in half. Finally he grabbed the last would be apprentice with the force and crushed his neck, Leo's eyes were no longer green but yellow and bleeding red before he let out a triumphant yell to the sound of a soft applause. Gazing upward Leo saw the Dark Lord standing up applauding him slowly at his success. _

Just then, the doors to Leo's cell were opened by two possessed clones, they looked at one another and saw the strange thing before them, Leo hovering a foot of the floor with the red kyber crystal before him they held up one of the eggs lettin it hatch and walked up behind Leo holding out out.

_Leo blinked and his eyes returned to normal. He looked down to see his jedi robes were gone and he was dressed in the Sith Spirits armor and tunic the lightsaber in his hand "W-what…. no this isn't right?" _

"_But it is." The sith spirits voice said as Leo looked down in the pool of blood to see the sith spirits dark skinned face and yellow eyes looking back at him. _

_Leo dropped down to his knees "NO! I am a jedi!" Leo barked._

"_Yet you kneel before a Dark Lord of the Sith." The spirit said making Leo look up at the Sith Lord who reached down and offered Leo his hand. _

_Leo looked up and then looked at is hands stained with blood "You are Sith Leo Rock, why fight it the Darkness calls to you like a flame to a moth only instead of burning you shall rise stronger than any Jedi all you need to do is reach out…" the spirit said Leo looked up at the Sith Lord, the vision of the arena started to fade as Leo raised his arm and hand, the dark cloaked Sith Lord grew closer to him hand ready to lift Leo up. _

"_And take it!" The spirit said from all around and Leo started to see the shadows around the Sith Lords face recede to reveal who the Sith Lord was, it was-_

_The shadows shattered back to the arena by a blood curling roar "...no…" the sith Spirit said as the earth shook beneath Leo's feet. It cracked open and a gigantic green worm shot up out of the ground the size of a train, it had a dozen eyes and its mouth opened in three lips with razor sharp teeth screeching a roar to the sky._

Outside the vision the crystal dropped to the floor as the brain worm wriggled into Leos head. The taken clones watched as Leo's hovering halted and he dropped to his wet grabbing his head thrashing in the cabin.

_Inside his mind he was still in the sith spirit's spell "What is this!?" Leo demanded as the sith Spirit reappeared in his usual regal red and black robes. The worm tore apart the arena crumbling the stones and drilling in and out of the earth coiling around them. _

"_An invader, not of my doing." The Sith told him "Liar, this is just another trick." Leo accused. _

"_Foolish boy this thing seeks to take us both, we must act." The sith said flicking his hands before they electrified with force lighting, Leo looked down at the lightsaber and picked up turning on the red blade _

Outside in the ship, Ahsoka, Barriss and Trap were about to make another turn when the security shields were activated in that hallway. "Someone doesn't want us going up there." Ahsoka said as Barriss kneeled down beside a panel.

Ahsoka held up her wrist trying to contact the other padawan "Leo, come in somethings wrong with the clowns."

"Graaaaahh!" Leo was screaming on the other end "Barriss Hurry!" Ahsoka snapped hearing her friends shrieks.

"I'll attempt to override the controls." she said before pressing the buttons Ahsoka suddenly spun on her heels when she sensed Trap was raising his blaster at them and slashed Trap's gun in half as the trooper attempted to shoot Barriss before knocking her saber out of her hand as he grabbed Barriss the clone's eyes went white as a long green worm started crawling out of his mouth Barriss managed to summon her lightsaber and stab him through the chest.

The worm jumped out of Traps slacked mouth and started crawling on his Barriss' neck. "Get this thing off me!" she cried out before managing to grab it and throw it off. Ahsoka cut it in half as she flew past her before deactivating her saber.

The two halves of the worm kept wiggling on the ground as Ahsoka shuddered in revulsion. "What is that?" she asked, looking at its dying body.

"Looks like some type of parasite must be controlling their actions." Barriss replied. "Mind control… Well that explains a lot Trap was my friend, he would never have tried to kill us." Ahsoka reasoned as the worm finally died.

"How did these things get on board in the first place?" Ahsoka wondered as the mystery plot thickened.

"They must have infected the clones while they were on Geonosis." Barriss realized.

"We'll have to quarantine the ship." Ahsoka said.

"We should also contact Master Fisto and let him know about the situation." Barriss suggested.

"Let's go." Ahsoka told them as they started running through the corridor before hearing a familiar sound coming from the storage room.

"That sound, it's…" Barriss started before Ahsoka finished, "Geonosian." She frowned as they hid behind the open door and watched as two infected clones held an uninfected one that was struggling while another walked up to him with a worm in his hand. "We have to help him!" Ahsoka said urgently.

the worm crawled into his nose and he started convulsing. "It's too late." Barriss said quietly as the clone stopped before blaster fire came at them from the other end of the corridor. The padawans ignited their sabers and started deflecting as they were forced to move back and into the room with the infected clones. Ahsoka used the Force to close the door just as the infected clone reached it before they turned around to face the others. One of the clones walked forward with two eggs and Ahsoka tried Force pushing him away, the clone managed to throw them before he was pushed but luckily they slashed the eggs in time. This seemed to anger the clones as they screeched in Geonosian and opened fire just as the clone outside the room got the door open.

Barriss pulled a crate down in front of them and Ahsoka slashed the gun of one that was beside the crate before pushing him away and knocked back the clone near the door before the three took behind a larger crate looking up. "Let's go for the vent!" she said before they started jumping up on the crates and reaching the top.

The other padawan quickly used the Force to remove part of the vent before they jumped in as the clones continued shooting as both crawled through the vent before noticing clones running just below them in one of the corridors.

"We can't do this alone, we need Leo to go find Leo before it's too late" Ahsoka insisted "By the sound of your comlink it already sounded like it was too late."

"I'll go to the reactor room and disable the thrusters, you head for the AFT comm-centre and send a warning to Master Fisto we have to stop the ship from reaching the medical station." Barriss told herbefore they started crawling forward again.

Ahsoka suddenly grabbed Barriss by the arm "I'm not letting whatever those words are get Leo."

"Ahsoka I know he's your friend but we have to think of the greater good." Barriss urged both padawans sounding exactly like their masters "No he'd come back for me I know it."

Barriss could feel the pain in Ahsoka's voice "Alright go then, but let me go to the reactor room to disable the thrusters." Barriss urged.

"I don't know Barriss I think we should stay together three lightsabers are better then one." Ahsoka said, unsure about splitting up as they stopped at a junction. "As do I unfortunately that's not a luxury we have right now one of us must succeed Ahsoka If you need to, you'll do what must be done…. I know it." Barriss said to her. "Yes, of course then i'll see you soon." she replied.

_Leo and the Sith Spirit were fighting the great wyrm beast, outside the brain worm was just that a worm inside the mind it was a great serpent slithering and striking like a cobra. Leo jumped on its back stabbing at its thick green hide as the sith spirit shot blasts of force lighting at it making it screech in fury. _

Back in Leo's room he was still convulsing as the mind controled clones looked at one another before Leo suddenly went limp, his back to the possessed clones.

They leaned in waiting to see him raise up to show he had been taken control of, but hung over Leo suddenly straightened rolling his neck so much his joints popped. Like a tornado Leo shot around his eyes shut before he raised them. The eyes shot open, not white and rolled back but bright red like the kyber crystal and escaping Leo's gritted teeth like fangs was a snarl like a lions. Like the king of the beasts Leo pounced, throwing a punch right at the first clone so hard he knocked the trooper back and proceeded to smash the man's face in with a barrage of punches in a feral rage.

The other clone trooper tried to restrain Leo but the brain worm had no idea what he was facing, Leo turned around and threw an elbow into the possessed clone's jaw, knocking him out before he resumed his assault on the clone trooper. Leos fists started to break bone from nose to cheek making the clone trooper spit up blood before Leo grabbed the clone trooper and smashed him right in the throat, in a convulsive move the clone trooper spit up his own guts and the parasite. Leo looked down at the parasite and grabbed it before it could run away, it squealed in his grip as Leo or whatever he was now roared at it before crushing the worm in a gooey crush. He turned his attention to the other trooper on the floor. Kneeling down Leo grabbed the trooper by his armor and pulled before he held up his hand.

Leo was gone, something else was controlling his actions as he reached into the clone trooper with the force, he convulsed in reverse as Leo made the clones nose bleed followed by the brain worm being pulled out against its will when it showed its first inch Leo grabbed it and pulled it out throwing it into the wall with a splat.

_Inside his mind another battle was being waged, the two forces vying for control of Leo's mind battled relentlessly as Leo was thrown off the back of the serpent. The sith spirit held it at bay with his force lighting and sith magic but the beast's gigantic size could easily take whoever was thrown at it. _

"_What are you doing pathetic boy, get up!" Leo heard the Sith Spirit order him as he got to his feet when the serpent appeared to back away. _

"_NO HE WILL BE MINE!" A new voice suddenly roared out, Leo looked up to see it was the serpent that spoke "You- your kind have killed my children I will have my revenge!" The voice was deep at first bust started to lighten into what sounded like an female, they watched the worm shed its skin like a snake before its head burst and before Leos minds eyes he saw the worm turn into the Geonosian Queen, Karina the Great._

"_Jeedai fools- you thought you could kill ME, my kingdom is Eternal!" She screeched down at them._

_The sith spirit only smirked, then snickered then laughed "You daaaare laugh at I, Queen of Geonosis!" _

"_You are no Queen insect." The sith spirit said "We are no Jedi, we are SITH AND THIS BODY IS MINE!" The sith spirit said throwing a lightning bolt at her, Leo felt the lighting hit her and felt the lighting as if it hit him instead he fell down looking at the red sky shattering around him his mind breaking, he grabbed onto the sides of his head where the pain was the greatest out of control of what was going on. _

Elsewhere in the vents Ahsoka climbed her way to Leo's room when she heard him, Leo was wobbling in the hallway hands around his head trying to resist both the brain worms of the Queen and the Sith Spirits incantation.

His moans of pain were almost too much to bear when Ahsoka looked down to see Leo was foaming at the mouth bleeding out of his nose. Suddenly a squad of the posed clones appeared speaking in geonosian Leo snapped his head toward them and took out his white lightsaber "Get- get- GET OUT OF MY HEAAAAAAAADDD!" Leo screamed running at them as he turned on his lightsaber, deflecting their lasers.

Ahsoka didn't need to be a Jedi master to know that if Leo got within striking distance of the clones it would be a bloodbath, she kicked the vent open and dropped out between him and the clones. Summoning every ounce of force she could muster Ahsoka repulsed Leo and the clones back into the wall. The clones crashed into ships haul hard getting knocked out, Leo tumbled back on the floor still growling as a war was waged inside his mind.

_Queen Karina continued to attack the Sith Spirit "Take you, I take you I control you to KILL YOU LIKE YOU KILLED MY CHILDREN!" she screeched as the Sith Lord grabbed her with the force. _

"_Kill me, don't make me laugh!" the sith said grabbing her with the force, Leo watched the spirit lift Karina's image off the floor of the ruined arena "I am Sith, entire armies have failed to vanquish me even Death cannot touch me here." he said, smashing her on the ground._

Outside Ahsoka saw Leo thrash "Leo?" Ahsoka asked inching closer to him taking out her lightsaber.

_Karina screamed as the sith electrocuted her "Puny insect whatever revenge you seek it pales in comparison to our own, the boy will serve me and me alone." the spirit said. _

"_Leo… come back." Leo's eyes shot open inside the spell, he heard Ahsoka's voice calling to him as the sith said "He will bring forth the Revenge of the Sith which has been so long denied to me." _

_Leo looked up at the Sith rising, he had the lightsaber in his hand "Serve you?" Leo asked behind the Spirit who turned around to see Leo walking toward him up the pile of ruins. The spirit stopped his attack on Queen Karina "To serve yourself, I am here to tell you the truth- the truth about the force and the Jedi." _

_Ahsoka's voice called out to him again, "Leo snap out of it." _

_Both the boy and the spirit heard her "They don't care about you, they'll turn on you out of fear of your power." _

_Leo looked back at the sith then down at Karina who was slowly recovering "I can't control their fear… I can only control my own, and as for serving you." Leo said fighting his grip on the lightsaber. _

_The sith spirit swung his arms around with force lighting tanking a round his finger tips before Leo drove the lightsaber into the sith spirits chest "I WILL NEVER SERVE THE SITH!" Leo yelled, pulling out the lightsaber and the vision began to shatter around him Karina let out a cackle of laughter as she rose expanding in size and enveloping his mind. _

"_But you will serve me!" Karina howled opening her massive jaws that grew with fangs and pincers before Leo held up the red lightsaber and hurled it right at her face._

"Leo, Leo come on fight it." Ahsoka said shaking him and slapping him across the face, Leo's eyes shot open emerald green before he saw her. Ahsoka smiled closely looking at him "Ahsoka I L-urk." Leo grabbed his mouth and got up walking away before he keeled over and puked out the brain worm, he looked scurry away before going into the floor vents.

Ahsoka came up behind him "That looked unpleasant what were you about to say." she said.

Leo wiped the puke and blood away from his nose and lip "Yeah… nothing, what's the situation?"

"In a nutshell, clones are being mind controlled by worms and we may all die." Ahsoka said shrugging as Leo picked up his lightsaber "When we got sent on this mission, I was not ready for today." Leo said beside her "What's the plan?" Leo asked her.

She started to head down the hallways "Barriss is turning off the engines, I'm going to warn Master Fitso before we can make port." she told him "Lead the way." Leo said passing by his quarters he stopped to look at the kyber crystal before following her to the commutation aboard the he ship. When they came in Ahsoka jumped into the seat and hailed the medical outpost.

When she brought Master Fitso up to speed she finished with "As long as these things are on board, we dare not dock with the medical station." Ahsoka said to Fisto and a communications clone on the view screen after they reached the comm-centre and informed the older Jedi of the situation.

"You must bring the ship in the only way we can stop these parasites is to analyze them." Kit informed them.

"You don't understand how terrible these things are." she warned before asking, "What if they get loose?" she asked him.

"We will take precautions." he assured her "I have a bad feeling about this, Master Fisto but we will follow your instructions." she complied but sounded unsure and worried looking up at Leo "Any ideas Rusty?"

"We should try contacting the Resolute, let them know what's happening." Leo suggested.

"Good idea." she replied before doing so. "Almost got it." she said, pressing a few more buttons when the screen suddenly showed Rex.

"Cargo ship, TB-73. This is clone captain Rex on the screen please respond." he said. "Rex, this is Ahsoka and Leo boy, am I glad to hear your voice." she said with a relieved sigh.

"Likewise, Commander, I've got someone here who wants to speak with you." he said before moving out of the way as Anakin appeared on the screen.

"Leo, Ahsoka, what's going on, are you okay?" Anakin asked. "Well... not exactly." she started slowly before explaining the situation, "Two clones attacked Barriss and I, they also attacked Leo trying to force these worms into our heads."

Anakin's face went white with fear "The brain worms, when Obi-Wan and I rescued Luminara we encountered the Geonosian Queen she used the worms to reanimate dead soldiers and tried to take control of Luminara."

Leo shrugged "Makes sense I think I had a conversation with her before I Ahsoka rescued me."

"What?" Ahsoka asked him "Yeah what she said." Anakin said "I think Queen Karina's consciousness survived in the worms, she doesn't seem to be in a good mood." Leo told them as Anakin assessed the situation from light years away.

"Make sure you both have a wrist com, keep them on, I'm going to interrogate Poggle he might have some answers, find Barriss and wait for my signal." he said as they turned their coms on before he cut out.

Ahsoka swiveled her chair around to him "So let me get this straight you were able to communicate with the worms?" Ahsoka asked him.

"Somehow, It may be because we're Jedi." Leo said "Well what did she say? What do they want?" she asked him.

Leo paused thinking it over "Revenge for us attacking Geonosis, killing her children it was so much anger- hate."

When the door opened and Barriss walked in unarmed and alone "Barriss, you're back were you successful?" Ahsoka asked her, but Barriss just stared at them ominously. "Barriss… what's wrong?" Ahsoka asked her, frowning while her voice became a bit shaky as the miralian raised her hand and Leo's moved to his lightsaber.

"Barriss no!" Ahsoka gasped, getting out of her seat as her friend Force pushed the glass, shattering it and pushing the shards forward.

Ahsoka dodged protecting her body, luckily none of the shards pierced either her or Leo. "We're your friends! Barriss snapped out of it!" she begged but Barriss ignited her saber and jumped at them.

Leo blocked the blade with his own and pushed her away "Barriss it's not you! It's the creatures that fight them!" Ahsoka pleaded, trying to reason with her jedi Barriss only smiled as Leo started to get up "They were pathetic." Leo said, getting Barriss attention.

"Your warriors?" Leo asked as Barriss looked over at him "I slaughtered them, your children I KILLED THEM ALL!" Leo yelled. Barriss screeched like a Geonosian and ran at him before Leo used the force to push her into the wall "Run." Leo snapped before they fled out of the room.

After making another turn they noticed Barriss had finally caught up. The two padawans were suddenly thrown against the wall and Barriss brought her saber down on Ahsoka, but Leo managed to block it before kicking her away. Ahsoka crouched and kicked her feet out from under her before Leo kicked her in the chest, sending her to the ground on her back. They ran off again while trying to put some distance between them and her. They stopped upon noticing a vent cover above them. Leo moved it open with the Force before Ahsoka jumped into it, he then jumped up as Barriss stopped underneath them to look around for a moment before continuing then placed the vent cover back on just in case.

The two stopped moving for a moment when they noticed a group of clones walking below them. "This is Ahsoka, come in." she whispered urgently into her com. "Ahsoka, Leo, listen to me. The worms are affected by the cold." Anakin said.

"Cold? That's how we stop them?" she asked as Leo looked down at the Geonosians possessed clones hearing them, he winced as something in his ear tingled he began to understand them.

'We must find the Jedi Murderers, our Queen will have her Justice' one of them said 'Justice for Geonosis the Jedi will pay'.

"Rupture the cooling systems." Anakin said just as a clone walked underneath the vent. Leo quickly grabbed her and pulled her away from the opening as they both slapped a hand over her com, trying to muffle Anakin's voice. The clone seemed to think it was nothing and walked away, the padawans looked at one another distractedly before snapping out of it and separating with blushes when Anakin spoke, "Did you hear me? Rupture the coolant system!" he said.

"The coolant system got it." she replied before cutting off and exiting the vent Leo jumped down after her and they started to move through the ship again.

A few more minutes later they reached their destination and entered the room with three identical cooling systems and a console in the middle. Leo stood in front of the console with his back towards it and watched the door as Ahsoka started moving around it and pressing buttons before she was about to pull a lever, but then Leo grabbed her arm.

"Wait." he said "If we do this, we're killing the Queen too."

"So, she's already dead right?" Ahsoka asked him "I- I don't know if something is telling me to wait." Leo said to her as their comlink went off.

"Padawans this is Master Fitso, you're coming in fast you must slow down." he said, Leo and Ahsoka exchanged glances.

Ahsoka reached for the lever "No time to argue." Leo grabbed her arm again before he let go "Do it."

The yellow lights in the room went out and temperature started to drop before they exited the room and started running down the corridor again, Leo shook his head in disgrace as he followed Ahsoka the ship's new temperature filling the corridors with thick frozen fog. The padawans stopped for a bit and rubbed their arms shivering before they came out of a vent. "Still think a tube top is practical?" Leo asked her.

"Sh-sh-shut up- r-r-rusty." Ahsoka said before they heard a lightsaber turn on, Leo and Ahsoka turned round to see Barriss speaking with Karina's voice.

"There you are you can't hide from me!" The infected Barriss' voice said from behind them.

The two of them started to run before Leo stopped at a vent "Get to the bridge I'll hold her off." Leo said as Ahsoka opened a vent.

"What- okay just don't kill her." she said before hopping into the vent, Leo turned around "I won't I've had enough killing." he said taking out his lightsaber and engaging Barriss.

"Murderer you killed my children!." Barriss/Karina screamed "I did!" Leo snapped his anger rising as he swung at her and she used Barriss's Jedi training to black and parry his blows "But you brought war two your people by joining with Dooku, you could have surrendered any time but instead you chose to fight." Around the ship the possessed clones were starting to become infected by the cold severing the world's control on them.

Leo dodged another strike "The Republic hated Geonosis, the Republic never helped, never cared about my children but Dooku did, Dooku gave us power." she said, Leo's mind drifted to the words of the Sith about becoming powerful.

His distraction cost him dearly, as Barriss used the force to smash Leo into the wall before she went over Ahsoka, who had finally made her way to the bridge via the floor vents.

"The bridge, at last." Ahsoka said relieved while shivering as they ran through the door, she sat in the pilot seat and started pressing buttons to try and contact the station up ahead.

"We're coming in awfully fast, this is Ahsoka Tano! Can you hear me? I'm shutting down the engines, I'll try to reverse the-'' she stopped speaking when she sensed Barriss had come into the room behind to dodge a slash from Barriss that hit the console, causing a few coolant tubes to come loose. Barriss cried out in surprise as one blasted her in the face with cold air and fell back to the floor when the door to the bridge opened with Leo walking in clutching his side, a rib most likely broken.

"Kill me, please!" Barriss begged her. "I can't." Ahsoka replied as she managed to get up and look out the viewport before turning around as Barriss grabbed her and a worm started coming out of her mouth, Ahsoka drew her lightsaber ready to cut Barriss down where she stood "STOP!" Leo snapped, halting Ahsoka's lightsaber, the freezing cold of the ship showering them with frost.

Leo knelt down in front of the screeching Barriss and held out his hand to her, the worm slithered up onto his palm and up his arm, Barriss fell over onto the floor unconscious "Leo- what are you doing!" Ahsoka shivered to ask.

The worm coiled around his neck "I have to make this right." Leo said as the worm went into his head he backed out of the room and shut the door "Leo no-" Before the worm seized control of his mind.

_Leo was on a frozen cliff side of red rock, thick white clouds were overhead with a blizzard enveloping an entire desert. It was Geonosian, the shining suns of the world were nowhere to be seen but what Leo did see, cloaked in snow and frost was Queen Karina the Great, and she was dying. She was shivering up on the hill breathing in raspy weak gasps of cloud before Leo approached her and kneeled. _

"_Your Majesty." he said in respect "May I speak." _

_Karina was hunched over her head bowed, holding her frostbite covered crown "Speak… don't speak… it doesn't matter my Kingdom…. my children… my world is gone." _

"_Your world lives, your people are alive, they fought bravely to defend you and their kingdom." Leo said rising "Jedi don't know, no Jedi know…" she said looking up at the stars. _

"_Geonosis never wanted war- I never wanted war, I wanted to see my children flourish in the Galaxy but we were ignored, forgotten by the Jedi and Republic Dooku said he could make us Strong….." she said turning around "I was not strong… I was not a Queen." she said, throwing her crown off the cliff they stood on before a cold wind started to blow, the desert itself started to become blanketed in snow as the stars were covered by thick white clouds raining snowflakes down on them._

_Karina shivered again as Leo held out his hand to her "I… I'm sorry your Majesty." Leo said "But you weren't weak, you didn't fail your people- you fought on to the end even after death to avenge your people… you did not fail, we failed you." Leo said before Karina reached out and took his hand as the snow storm frozen them into darkness. _

Ahsoka cradled Barriss in her arms as the frost started to reach her very core, she waved her hand at the door and it opened to reveal Leo on the floor, the brain worm slithering out of his mind before it died right in his hand. Outside the transport was heading straight for the station before it docked.

A boarding tube locked onto the bridge's side before clones burst in with Master Kit Fitso seeing Ahsoka and Barriss together and Leo on the floor. He walked in and knelt down Ahsoka. He cupped her cheek and she woke up in a shiver "Hello- Master Fitso-o-o- we're ready to pick up the supplies."

"We'll take care of that, you rest now Ahsoka." Kit said before she passed out.

Ahsoka shot up from the bed he was on, knocking the sheet off in the process. "It's alright you two. It's okay. You're safe." Ahsoka looked to see Anakin sitting over her speaking as he reassured them gently.

"Barriss- Leo?" she asked him concerned before her master gently pushed her back onto the bed before bringing the sheet back up. "Barriss and Leo are fine thanks to your efforts." he reassured with a smile as they looked over to her sleeping and Leo across from them in another bed "And so are the clones." the Knight added. "What were those things?" she asked him tiredly.

"I think I can help answer that." Fisto said as he entered the room, smiling before continuing when he walked up to Ahsoka's bed "We had the parasite ones analyzed, they are the same type of creature you found on Geonosis, Master Skywalker." Anakin sat up from Ahsoka's bed and walked up to Fisto while speaking Leo started to wake up too.

"We'll have to inform the troops on Geonosis, this parasite may explain how they recaptured the planet the first time. I don't want it happening again."

Fisto and Anakin turned their attention to the two conscious padawans before Fisto spoke with a gentle smile, "You have been through quite an ordeal, little ones." Leo continued to pretend to be asleep turning his head away so none would notice he was wide awake would've glared at the person who called him a 'little one', but after everything that happened to him today he didn't care and just smiled tiredly. "Master Skywalker, may I have a word?" Ahsoka asked as Leo pretended to still be asleep. He nodded to her and Fisto left.

"Master on the ship, Barriss was gone and she wanted me to kill her… She told me…" she trailed off. "But you couldn't do it." he finished gently.

"But, should we have…? I mean. It worked out now, but if we had failed if the ship docked and the worms spread and..." she asked Anakin quietly, trailing off at the end.

"Ahsoka. It's your duty to save as many lives as you can Barriss knew you could save thousands if the worms were destroyed. Which she thought meant destroying her too but you did the right thing." he said with a gentle smile before standing up and continuing as Leo listened turning his head over to look out at the stars thinking of Geonosis of the warriors he'd slain of the Queens last moments.

"You knew the freezing cold would kill the worms." They looked at Barriss before he turned back to Ahsoka and spoke again softly, "Letting go of our attachments… is a difficult struggle for all of us you followed your instincts. I'm sure she would agree it was the right choice." Anakin then took his leave while Ahsoka looked out the viewport of the stars.

Leo finally started to rise letting the blanket fall, Anakin looked to see him "Ah Rusty welcome back." Anakin said before he met Leo's cold glare, still as cold as the ship most likely.

"Did we?" Leo asked him.

Anakin was puzzled "Did we what?"

"Did we make the right choice General Skywalker?" Leo asked getting off the table his legs almost falling out from under him "Whoa take it easy." Anakin urged.

"Geonosis did we make the right choice attacking them?" Leo asked leaning on his bed pushing himself to his feet "Leo we-" "We slaughtered them!"

"Like Animals!" Leo screamed at Anakin, his words ringing to deep into Anakin to respond. The sudden commotion brought in Kit and one of the medical clones "What's going on here?" Kit asked when he saw Leo up.

"Trooper help him." Kit ordered but Leo pushed him away "We attacked first- they were only defending their home from us- US JEDI!" Leo yelled at them.

Anakin calmed Kit down with a wave of his hand "Leo what you all did on Geonosis what we did helped bring peace."

"Peace- peace we brought war, death and destruction General!" Leo yelled at him panting hard still weak "I will carry the shame of what I did on Geonosis forever." he said using the wall to lean on as he headed to the door trying to get out.

"Leo you-" "I felt her die!" Leo almost yelled looking back at Anakin "Who?" Kit asked.

"The Queen, I felt her in my head with the worms- she was so afraid she was lost. The death of her children drove her insane and in the end she died, cold, afraid… and alone." Leo said, finding his footing shaking his head walking to the door.

Anakin followed him "Leo stop." Leo obeyed but didn't turn around "As Jedi we make difficult choices everyday, like attachments we have to learn to let go of the past."

"If this is what being a Jedi… then I don't know what I am." he said before walking out.

Anakin was about to follow but Kit stopped "Let him go for now Skywalker."

Later Leo was back aboard the transport as heat lamps were melting off the frost into puddles. He walked into his old quarters and found the red kyber crystal before he picked it up and walked out leaving the transport behind so it could take the medical supplies to dantooine and as he returned to the station it began to speak to him.

**I knew you couldn't go on without me…**

He said nothing only walked through the station clutching the crystal around his fist as he got into an elevator.

**See the Jedi don't care what you think, they only want to control you the way they want to control Geonosis, when one person says no to them they grow in fear.**

The elevator lowered and Leo came out onto an almost empty hanger with only a few service droids moving cargo and supplies around as Leo walked up to the hanger entrance that was rayshielded.

**What, nothing to ask, nothing to say- SPEAK TO ME, YOU THINK YOU COULD HAVE COME THIS FAR WITHOUT ME!**

Leo stopped at the edge of the hanger looking out at the stars then down at the crystal in his palm.

**What are you doing you- no, no you can't get rid of me I helped create you I am Sith I am your Master obey me I COMMAND**

"Nothing." Leo said, throwing the crystal out of the force field where he saw it began to drift away "Your nothing but a shadow of a traitor long dead, you have no power or control over me… only I do."

**Foolish boy, one day I shall return to you and DESTROY ALL JEDI LIKE YOU!**

**Do You Hear Me!**

**i will return… and destroy…. you… jedi...**

"That's right, Jedi and don't you forget it." Leo said turning around and turning his back on the red kyber crystal that began to drift along in space its voice no longer able to reach him, the small speck of red light in the darkness drifted far away. Flowing all the way into regions far out of Republic control before a crimson starship appeared to spy it from almost out of nowhere, far away from the Republic Station now the crystal was sucked inside the ship before it found itself onto the bridge in the hands of Tol Skorr.

Tol held up the crystal in his palm "Hmmm seems like you weren't enough to turn the boy… whoever you are?" he said The crystal awoke to the sound of his voice

**Insolent Acolyte do you know who I am!?**

"No and I don't care." Tol said before he opened a drawer and put him in it "My Master has plans for the boy, as do I perhaps you will be of some use later." Tol said before he flew his ship into hyperspace.

_**Alright, so as always tell me what you think. Give me ideas and so on, also as we near closer to the end of this book. I want ideas of what Leo should look like in season 3 and what next episode of Season 2 since we have quite a few to pick from. Also I may just some of the first 9 episodes of Season 3 before they all get new looks**_


	20. The Duel

**Chapter 20**

**The Duel**

_CORUSCANT_

_Jedi Temple_

Leo was standing in front of the Jedi Council alone without his Master, Anakin or Ahsoka, the city was shaded in darkness with the only light coming from sky taxis and the city's skyline outside. The interior light spotlighted both the jedi giving the Masters a sense of mystery as they sat there with judging eyes as Leo looked at the floor after he had finished his report.

"So you claim that while you and the other Padawans were attacked by these worms, you were able to communicate with what you thought was the Geonosian Queen?" Mace Windu asked him.

Leo looked up when Windu said 'thought' as if Leo had lied to them "No Master, I did speak with her or at least the memory the worms had of her." Leo restated.

"Well, as Skywalker is not here to defend you I'm afraid I must cast doubt on your word considering Padawan Offee reported no visions of seeing the Queen." Leo's eyes got wide as Windu spoke and gestured to a hologram Master Unduli sitting across from them. Of the Jedi masters not present for the meeting being substituted as holograms were Plo Koon, Kit Fitso and Ki-Adi Mundi and among the Council only one seat was empty.

Leo gapped "I… can't vouch for Barriss' experience." Leo said.

"And yet you claim you let the brain worm enter your mind freely after Barriss was freed from it?" Obi-Wan inquired, Leo nodded at him "Yes Master."

"Curious, if I had been allowed to study it perhaps the mind control effects work differently with a willing host, what did the Queen say?" Obi-Wan asked.

Leo took a second to gather his thoughts "Its hard to describe masters, there was so much anger, pain, fear… she believed the Republic and Jedi abandoned her people and had to turn to Count Dooku so Geonosis would be strong."

"That we killed her children- I killed her children." Leo said avoiding looking at the Masters outright.

The twelve greatest Jedi of their age all looked at one another "The tragedy of war that is Padawan Rock." Yoda said from his chair. .

"Thank you we do for your report, rest and recover here till Master Krell returns." Leo felt as if there were more questions that the Masters wanted to ask but bowed respectively and walked to the elevator and left them.

"Master Yoda why did you dismiss him?" Windu asked.

Yoda turned his pointy eared head "Difficult war is to a Jedi, harder still on one so young."

"While I do agree he and the Padawans have faced much there is something he and Pong are hiding from us?" Luminara said to the whole Council.

"Hiding something, whatever could you mean?" Obi-Wan asked as Fitso spoke up "When he awoke at the medical station, the padawan was bereft at what had happened on Geonosis, I fear to say I felt the dark side of the force at that moment." Kit said causing every Jedi Master in the room to get deathly silence.

Windu leaned back in his chair "I concur, the dark side of the force seems drawn to Leo Rock like a moth to flame and he to it."

"Forgive me Master Windu but are you accusing the Padawan of dabbling in Sith teachings?" Plo Koon asked from his own seat furthest away from Windu along with his point of view it seemed.

"Only that we must watch him and his master, carefully many of us remember Pong in his younger years, his desire for conflict and a war seems to have stated that appetite." Windu said accusingly.

A long pause filled the room till Plo Koon spoke "Master Kenobi, when Padawan Rock was with you and Skywalker was there ever a time he was left alone, unsupervised?"

"Only one, when the Blue Shadow Virus was almost released on Naboo, why do you ask?" Obi-Wan answered.

"It is clear that Count Dooku and his Acolytes have taken an interest in the padawans, especially Padawan Rock to a certain degree and considering the boys heritage his turn from the Republic would greatly increase the Separatist's-" "That is a closed matter, one that is only coincidence." Windu suddenly snapped.

Plo Koon abated the interruption "Even so, I fear your dismissal of his claims will only lead to a mistrust of the Council." Koon said tapping his claws together.

"Trust is something earned not given." Windu replied.

Later, afte Leo left the council chamber he came out into the large hallway near the tower walking head hung low.

Among the Jedi in the hallway were Anakin and Ahsoka, speaking to Barriss no less when the three of them saw him, Ahsoka pointed it out to Anakin. "Leo got a sec?" Anakin asked him.

Leo turned before walking up this and standing at attention "Yes, General Skywalker?" He said coldly.

"At ease Leo, we just wanted to see how it goes?" Anakin asked him, Leo gave Barris a glare before he turned his head back to Anakin and replied "I'm to stay here until my Master returns."

"Looks like we're lol grounded again." Ahsoka said between them "You were grounded no me." Anakin said before he started to leave "Until then Padawans focus on your studies yadayada blah blah Jedi Master stuff." Anakin said before he left the three of them alone, his antics actually brought a smile to Leo's face before he remembered how harshly he'd spoken to Anakin on the medical station.

Barriss watched him go "He's a rather peculiar Jedi isn't he?"

"At least he doesn't lie." Leo blurted out before he started to walk off "And what's that supposed to mean?" Barriss asked, following him insulted, Ahsoka followed, rolling her eyes "oh brother."

"You claimed you weren't able to see the Queen like I was, how, we're both Jedi, both padawans, so you lied." Leo accused him of stopping before turning around to look up at Barris who was almost a foot taller than him.

She glared down at him and his accusation "Lied, why would I lie to the Jedi Council, I've nothing to hide." Barriss scoffed.

"Then how could you not see the Geonosian Queen, it was like she was standing right in front of me when I saw her?" Leo asked.

"Because there was nothing, the creatures were parasites, nothing more." Barriss tried to argue "Perhaps your Master was right to send you away from the frontlines, you may have been hallucinating when you were struggling against mind control, right Ahsoka?" she asked, making both of them look at the torgurtan in the background.

Ahsoka raised her hands "Oh please don't drag me into this."

"But you said it yourself, Leo was going berserk when the worm was in his head." Barriss said pointing at the boy.

Leo shot his glare at Ahsoka "Leo I-" she didn't get a chance to finish her excuse when they noticed three jedi masters running down the hallway.

"What's going on?" Ahsoka asked, glad to have a distraction.

The padawans followed the Masters into one of the transmission rooms it was filled with Masters, Knights and Padawans alike as all of them were looking at a holotable with a red hologram of General Grievous holding a Zarbark Jedi in his clutches everyone could recognize it as Eeth Koth "Greeting Jedi." Grievous taunted.

"It seemed once again one of your orders has lost his way." the cyborg said as Leo followed Barris and Ahsoka down the stairs into the room. "And even better a leading member of your Jedi Council."

Grievous pulled him up by his hair "Listen here Jedi, I do not care about your politics, I do not care about your Republic, I only live to see you die." he barked throwing Koth to the floor and having one of his bodyguard droids coming up with a shock staff stabbing at Koth in the back. The surge made the jedi master scream in agony, two of the younger younglings couldn't bear to watch. Ahsoka instinctively pulled them close shielding their eyes from the torture, Leodidn't look away he looked right at Grievous.

"But death will not come so easily for Master Koth, I will make him suffer endlessly because I know it is more painful for you all HAHAHAHA-" Grievous cut the transmission just as his mechanical lungs started to give way. The Masters all began to speak in a crowded murmur before Yoda looked back at the younglings.

"Away with the younglings." Yoda ordered, all of them started to pile out of the room with Master Tinn escorting them out Leo had taken his eyes off the hologram and was the last padawan in the room.

Windu noticed the boy's reluctance to leave "Padawan, Master Yoda told you to leave, do you have a problem with that?" Windu asked.

Leo raised his eyes and saw the Masters looking at him "No, I'm just wondering what could make a man like Grievous hate us so much?"

"He's more machine than man now." Kenobi said arms crossed, Leo gave a slight bow "Masters."

Leo walked up the stairs and when he came out he saw Ahsoka was trying to comfort the two young padawans. "It's okay, it's okay they'll rescue Master Koth." She said when she saw him, she nudged her head sideways trying to get him to come over and help but he just walked away.

After Leo stormed off he made his way to one of the temple gardens on the roof of the temple, Leo was laying on one of the garden benches looking up at the tree softly dancing in the wind, Leo had his hands behind his head thinking on something when he closed his eyes.

_In an instant he saw the Geonosian warriors swarming over him trying to claw his eyes out_

He opened them shooting up to see Ahsoka and smashed his forehead right into her "Ah Rust what the heck?" Ahsoka said holding her forehead as Leo held his "Ahsoka- ah what are you doing?"

"I came to check on you… don't know why?" She said rubbing her forehead as he sat up.

Leo clicked his tongue "Why do you always feel the need to check on me?" He asked "Well you didn't come down to the hanger to see Master Skywalker and Kenobi."

Leo's head twisted toward her "What they already left?"

"Yeah, you were asleep when I came up." She said.

Leo gaped at her when he realized the vision of the geonosians was a dream, more of a nightmare really as he thought on it. In an exasperated over the top sigh Ahsoka sprawled out on the bench leaning up on him "Oh no, I see it now woe is us the Jedi the Hero of Ryloth and Point Rain has gotten lazy, woe to the Republic these are…. Dark Times." She gasped throwing her arm on her head to pretend to faint. Leo did his best to hide her smile before he broke into a laugh, Ahsoka giggled two before Leo leaned back making Ahsoka fall right into his lap looking up at him. The two padawans felt the wind wrap around them, Ahsoka glanced up from his face into the sky no speeders or sky cabs were in Jedi Air Space and the blue sky of Coruscant was above with a few birds singing in the air.

"So what do you think will happen after?" Ahsoka asked him.

Anakin cocked his head looking back down "After?"

"After the wars are over, what do you think will happen Barriss and I talked about it before… you know?" Ahsoka said.

"To what?" He asked again dodging an answer, Ahsoka crossed her arms like Anakin bucking out her lower lip "Everything, the clones, the Republic, us?"

Leo didn't answer her for a while "I don't know, I guess we'll still be Jedi maybe?"

"Maybe?" Ahsoka asked him, still resting her head on his pants lap.

"Well of course we'll still be jedi- but I really don't think about it, this war has just been everything, I mean can we really call it a war." Leo asked her "Of course it's a war?" Ahsoka said, sitting up holding up her hands to show her visible confusion.

"But we're using artificial soldiers, all the wars in galactic history nothing like this has ever happened on such a scale, you remember the stories about the Mandalorian Wars, when the Sith Empire returned the Republic had a real army made up of every worlds races and Jedi were there too." Leo said leaning on his knees looking away from her.

Rolling her eyes Ahsoka leaned over "I'll remember not to tell Rex you said that."

"What I mean is those soldiers chose to be soldiers, Rex and the clones they never had a choice but I choose to fight this war to the end." Leo said sitting up to meet her gaze.

Scratching her chin "Hmmm well when you think about it, neither did we when we became Jedi. I don't even remember Shili, what about you?"

"What about me?" Leo asked her "Do you remember anything before being a jedi?" She asked.

Leo thought about it for a moment "No."

"What about if we could be something else?" She asked him,

Leo cocked a brow knowing she just wanted to tell him hers "Something else?" He asked.

"Yeah, if you didn't want to be a jedi what would you like to do with your life?" She asked him.

Leo leaned back on the bench "I don't know, what about you?"

Ahsoka got up standing on the bench scratching her chin while holding her elbow "Need some inspiration Rusty, no problem I think I'd be a great explorer, my own ship, go where nobody's ever been?" She said standing hands on her hips, cocksure of herself.

Leo looked up at her in awe, jaw open in a smile "Can I be your first mate?" He asked.

"Nah I think I'd like my own Astro droid like Artoo?" Ahsoka said sitting back down leaning back on the bench, "Alright your turn and you can't take mine?" She said pointing at him.

The boy got up, hands on his hips pacing , smiling before it disappeared "I… still don't know?"

"You don't know?" She asked, giving him a curious glance, he shook his head reaching for his lightsaber, squeezing it "Come on you must have thought about it?" Ahsoka asked him but no response came, he just stood there in the wind looking at the garden floor in silence before he cocked his head slightly getting an idea and his lip curled up a bit.

"Ah I see a smile, what is it?" She asked.

Leo crossed his arms "No you'll laugh."

"I swear on my honor as a Jedi I won't laugh." Ahsoka said, holding her hand over her chest.

Leo gave in to her promise of respect "I'd like to be-" "Padawans!"

The two of them looked up to see Master Windu standing at the entrance, Ahsoka got to her feet and stood up straight "Master Windu." She said bowing politely. Leo didn't greet him but bowed like her after she rose.

"What are you two doing out here, shouldn't you be focusing on your studies." Windu ordered crossing his arms as he walked up to them.

Ahsoka cocked her head sheepishly "Riiiiiight, our studies?"

"Well go then?" Windu told him.

The two of them walked out of the garden and when Leo knew they were out of earshot he grumbled "Never lets up."

"Master Windus stern but he's… oh who am I kidding he can be a real jerk sometime." She said agreeing with him.

Later, Leo and Ahsoka were sitting in a large auditorium with Jedi Master Plo Koon standing under a hologram. There were other Padawans in the room and younglings yet to be chosen by masters listening, down a few rows sitting between a twi'lek Padawan and weequay was Barriss who looked over at Leo and Ahsoka smiling at her, but frowning at him. Down below Master Plo continued the lecture Turing the holotable to show three Republic Cruisers and a Separatist fleet on opposite sides of an asteroid belt.

"Who can tell me the most effective strategy when engaging an enemy fleet when the field of vision is obstructed and you are evenly matched?" Plo asked the crowd.

A few hands went up and Plo pointed at Barriss "Padawan Offee?"

"Speed is paramount Master, gaining the high ground like in a ground battle the fleet commander would have to secure a position above the asteroid belt to protect the bow of their ship or underneath to protect the stop." She answered.

Plo Koon nodded "Thank you Barriss now onto the next scenario." Plo Koon said as the hologram changed to show republic forces surrounded on all sides.

"The enemy has cut off your escape, you and your fellow Jedi have been surrounded by an army of droids and the enemy commander is coming to face you himself?"

Ahsoka raised her hand "Are we alone or do we have friends with us?" She asked.

Leo and Barriss exchanged glances "As Jedi were never alone."

"Then we signal for an extraction and try to hold out till you can be rescued." Ahsoka said.

"A possible strategy, one that requires us to have hope in the face of certain doom." Plo Koon said before he started to fiddle with the holotable.

"Now for something slightly more complicated…" the hologram shifted to show a massive fleet of unusual make, the ships were mostly freighters and heavy frigates, that outnumbered three larger Republic cruisers.

Plo Koon looked up at the padawans "The sector you serve is in crisis, pirates have been raiding supply lines and selling off food and medicine to other sectors for cheaper prices, what is the most appropriate course of action and remember these Pirates are organized, confident and have been successful they will not give up their prize easily?"

On the entrance to the chamber, Windu was watching the class unfold next to Master Yoda.

Barriss raised her hand "Offee?" Plo asked her.

"If they are pirates they would scatter when facing a full organized force." Barriss said "A flawless answer, but incorrect." Plo said, making Barriss gap as everyone giggled at the trick.

"As the pirates are not formally military they would use unorthodox methods…" the freighters and frigates engaged the Republic ships, the freighters flew circles around the Republic fleet annihilating them. "Emboldened by the victory the pirates recruit smugglers, assassins and mercenaries to their cause while still raiding the supply lines, soon they seize control of a lightly defended but heavily defensible world to use as a base of operations, what do you do?" The Master asked the padawans, nobody answered as the situation became more complex.

Leo then raised his hand "Yes Padawan Rock?"

"I don't have an answer, Master, just a question." Leo said from above everyone looking at him "Yes?"

"If the supplies are too highly priced wouldn't it make sense to lower the price, they'd lose their value and the pirates their ability to sell them?" Leo asked him.

"These are battle scenarios not economics now do you have a strategy." Plo said as everyone snickered Leo looked down at Plo, the laughing and giggling only stung more when Leo saw Barriss snickering.

He curled his hand into a fist on his knee that Ahsoka noticed, Leo took one look at the world the pirates had taken then back at Plo "The enemy is chosen to dig into their position, they think nobody will attack them in their own fortress we destroy their fortress." Leo answered, up above them Yoda and Windu exchanged glances.

"Elaborate if you will?" Plo asked him curious.

Leo didn't answer at first before he rose to his feet "... destroy the planet and kill them all."

Everyone's smiles and giggles stopped after he spoke "Why such a brutal method, as Jedi we value life and we must always justify the use of force?" Plo Koon asked.

"You said diplomacy wasn't an option, we couldn't change the economics either if those options don't exist then overwhelming force is the only course of action Master." Leo said to him.

"And the fallout of this decision wiping out an entire world, what if there are innocent people on the planet?" Plo asked him.

Leo looked over his shoulder then looking directly at Windu "Acceptable losses."

"Class dismissed." Plo Koon said, turning off the hologram.

All the students began to leave the room and exited out into the hallways, Leo and Ahsoka walked out together "Alright what was that I know you'd never do anything like that not even Skyguy and he's crazier than us both?"

"I just wanted to get out of the room." Leo said shaking his head scratching his forehead "The situation didn't even have a chance to resolve it peacefully."

"Maybe you weren't looking hard enough?" Ahsoka said making Leo nod his head to the side "Your probably right as alway-" "Padawan Rock." Windu said behind them with Plo Koon and Yoda behind him.

Leo groaned "not-again."

Though Windu had only called Leo both Ahsoka and he turned around as Windu and the other masters walked up "Your answer just then raises concerns." Windu told him.

Leo looked up at Windu and Plo then down at Master Yoda, "Master Plo said what would be the best course of action, so I answered."

"Yes the best, which is not the most effective. You fail to grasp the concept of the scenario." Windu told him.

"Why am I not surprised." Leo grumbled rolling his eyes "Have something to say Padawan" Windu asked him sternly.

Leo stopped rolling his eyes and let them come to a glare "Leo don't." Ahsoka whispered to him.

"What is your problem?" Leo asked Windu rather loudly, passing Jedi and then leaving Padawan's stopped to listen "My problem?" Windu asked calmly.

"Yeah you clearly have a problem with me for some reason, I train, I fight, I obey just as good as any other jedi but for some reason you keep signaling me out so what is it?" Leo demanded.

Windu's eyes hardened "You forget yourself Padawan." Windu said down to him his tone shifting to a harsher one.

Leo looked away for a moment putting his hand on his lightsaber before he raised his head and took a step forward only inches from Windu as he looked up and said "Why don't you remind me or can I go Master?"

Windu looked around at the small crowd around them then back at Leo "As Master Krell isn't here to instruct you, I'm more than happy to oblige a lesson with respect and humility. You will meet me at the training ground after dusk for a lesson you won't forget."

"As you wish, Master." Leo said still looking up at him both of them looked at each other with menacing glares "Is that all Master?" Leo asked him.

"Dusk Padawan don't forget." Windu said before he turned around and walked through Plo and Yoda, both shaking their heads as the small crowd instantly started to murmur and speak at what they just turned around to and briskly passed through the small sea of padawans who got out of his way and Ahsoka had to fight her way through to catch up to him. She only did when Leo made his way back to the Padawan dormitory to his own room when he walked in Leo smashed his fist into the nearest wall "Raaaaahh!"

After he punched the wall both Barris and Ahsoka walked in "That could have gone better?" Ahsoka said.

"Better, better he wants me to fail, he wants me to get angry at him. I'm tired of all this?" Leo snapped at her "Tired, tired of what the Masters only want to help us?" Ahsoka asked him.

"Ahsoka they've been you and General Skywalker a million times and now they keep treating me like I'm some sort of criminal." He growled.

"Leo you talked back to a Master, Master Windu no less?" Barriss pointed out "What are you doing here?" Leo snapped.

Barriss and even Ahsoka were a bit surprised at his tone even worse when he was speaking to Master Windu "You challenged a Jedi Master to a duel?"

"Oh so now you care?" Leo said waving her off "Just because I didn't see the hallucination of an insect brood mother doesn't mean I want to see you make a mistake." Barriss said trying to reason with him, Leo held his anger back for when he fought Windu pacing away to the nearby window looking out at the city of Coruscant.

"I don't care, I'm going to fight him." Leo said, behind him Ahsoka slapped her forehead "Leo I usually trust you in a fight, but this is Master Windu you can't beat him." Ahsoka said as Leo looked at his own reflection.

He stared at himself in the hollow reflection "Leo are you listening to me."

Leo didn't say anything he just stared at himself in the reflection, "Come on Ashoka if he wants to do this let him." Barriss said, taking her hand trying to pull her out of the room.

She slipped out of her grip and walked up to Leo "Why are you doing this?" Ahsoka asked him.

Finally he turned around to look at her then at Barriss and her, "Please leave." He said coldly to her.

Ahsoka looked into Leo's eyes as if she was looking at a completely different person, slowly but surely she turned around and left the room unsure what to make of Leo's actions. "I'm sorry Ahsoka but some people can't be reached." Barriss said.

Dusk came after the sunset of Coruscant, and when it did also the return of the Jedi Strike team to rescue Master Koth. Ahsoka and Plo Koon were waiting for them as the ship pulled into the hanger. Both Anakin and Adi Gali were helping Master Koth down from the ship "Welcome back Master Koth, it's good to see you alive." Plo said as a medical team was waiting to take him.

"The praise goes to Skywalker and Gali for my rescue, but we failed to capture General Grievous in the process." Koth said as he limped to the medical team.

"His escape pods crashed down on Selucami, Master Kenobi stayed behind to hunt him down, Snips we should get going to help stop any chance of a Separatist relief effort." Anakin said down to her, Ahsoka and Plo Koon exchanged glances "About that Master there's something you should know about Leo."

Anakin gave her a puzzled look "Can't be any bad then loosing General Grievous?"

Ahsoka gave a weak smile "Weeeeeeeeellll….."

"HE WHAT!?" Anakin screamed before all four of the jedi ran to the jedi training grounds outside the temple's roof. The night sky was filled with brisk wind and Anakin, Adi, Plo and Ahsoka weren't the only Jedi on the roof. At the center of the training ground Leo and Mace were facing each other ten feet apart, surrounding the training ground on the upper part of the grounds were other jedi, Masters, Knights and Padawans alike, Barriss and Selene were among them. At the four corners of the training ground stood Jedi Sentinels as Cin Drallig was walking out in between them.

"This is insane, where's Master Yoda?" Anakin asked before he saw Master Yoda standing among other Jedi Masters watching "He's okay with this?"

Plo Koon scratched his mask "Not entirely, but Master Yoda understands the respect of Padawans and Masters is a sacred part of our order."

"Speaking of Masters where in the galaxy is Pong?" Anakin asked him "Enroute now but he'll not arrive soon enough." Pong said as Cin came into the middle.

Cin Drallig waited till the murmuring crowd had stopped talking "For the official archive and the witnesses here, this is a sanctioned duel between Master Mace Windu and Padawan Leo Rock, the winner will be determined by yield or if the other is unable to continue." Cin said holding up one arm with a closed fingered but open palm to show the sign of forfeit "As our tradition, duels of the nature require lightsaber intensity to be turned down." Both Windu and Leo took out their lightsabers and twisted the intensity knob but didn't turn them on.

Cin turned around and walked to the edge of the training ground raised his arm and chopped it down "Begin!"

Windu unsheathed his purple lightsaber taking a aimed stance pointing his lightsaber at the boy, Leo turned his lightsaber on to take a high guard. Neither of them made the first move, Windu then took a step to the left and Leo went right, when Windu moved his blade high, Leo went low trying to mirror the Master before it happened. Leo kicked off faster then anything any of the padawans had seen he moved so fast Leo didn't even have time to raise his guard he only dodged as Leo swung at the air beside his face. Instead of getting a chance to recover, Leo felt Windu kick Leo straight in the gut knocking him to the ground. On his back Leo saw the purple lightsaber coming straight for him before he rolled out of the way and back on to his feet. Master Windu had no second thought of attacking again, striking hard and fast on Leo's lightsaber defense. The sparks of purple on white flashed brightly against the night sky as the jedi watched the duel with Windu clearly the superior swordsman. Twice as deadly as either Karoc or Vinoc and ten times as powerful.

Knowing he'd never be able to stand against the attack for long, Leo got distance between him and Windu before he could attack again. "Someone needs to stop this." Anakin said about running into the fray.

Plo Koon suddenly grabbed his arm "If you do this you shame yourself and the boy, Windu has a plan."

"A plan?" Anakin as Windu continued to push Leo's defenses to the brink "This is a test to see if the boy is truly tempted by the dark side." Ahsoka heard them talking and remembered the red kyber crystal and the private discussions between Leo and her, but more importantly the promise she made to him about not telling the masters.

"Maybe if you stopped prodding the boy like the next Darth Maul he wouldn't be so eager to spit in your face." Anakin hissed yanking his arm away. Leo and Windu locked blades for a moment and the boy could see there was no emotion behind Windu's attack, the mans face was harsh and stiff as stone and every strike he made was like a boulder on Leo's wall of defensive moves.

Leo broke the blade lock and tried to go on the offensive this time, striking from above then below on the right, he jumped over Windu's counter strike. Leo thought he had an opening to hit Windu in the arm but he saw the mans open palm and the force that erupted from it was the strength of a cannon. Leo flew from the spot he was into the wall of the training grounds, the jedi on the wall walking up to see him hit the stone floor.

"Yield Padawan, you cannot win." Windu said as Leo felt the wind had been knocked out of his lungs.

Swallowing in as much air as he could, Leo used the wall to climb to his feet when he was steadied he held up his lightsaber with one hand and the other open.

"As you wish." Windu said charging him, Leo didn't move except for planting his heel on the wall and waited as Windu fully committed to the attack and when he swung down at him. Leo kicked off the wall to the left and started to back up getting distance between him and the Master. Windu looked at the hold in his robes as his face showed no ounce of pain or sign he'd been cut. Windu resumed his attack on Leo striking from below this time to cut up the earth sending dust into Leo's eyes, he raised his arms to protect his face and Leo kicked him square in the chest sending Leo back onto his backside, he kept rolling though so he could get to his feet. Windu raised his hand to force push Leo almost off his feet but the boy stayed low letting his boots get worn down on the stone till he came to a halt. When he stopped Windu was in the air coming down on him. Leo got out of the way of his strike and tried to attack Leo from the rear. Windu's lightsaber and arms appeared behind his back to catch Leo's lightsaber.

Windu swung at Leo's legs but be flipped away landing on one hand before Windu was up again walking toward him, Leo wasn't ready and Leo only swung with one arm in furious hacking as Leo tried to hold his lightsaber to catch him. Windu spun his wrist, cutting Leo on the wrist making him lose control of his lightsaber. Leo stumbled back grabbing his wrist as Windu stood there waiting for Leo to concede defeat.

"This is madness." Anakin said, continuing to protest, "No, this is discipline." Anakin looked over his shoulder and suddenly saw Pong Krell had returned from Geonosis with Luminara at his side.

"Master Krell, you have to stop this." Anakin insisted.

The Besalisk looked over at Leo then at Windu "I cannot, Master Plo have informed me of my Padawans indesgreation if this is how he must be taught then so be it."

"He won't stop, you know this." Anakin told him "Come now Skywalker, Windu will not harm the boy needlessly." Luminara said.

"I'm not talking about Windu." Anakin said as Leo walked around to his lightsaber and bent down picking it up his back turned to Windu.

Leo took a deep breath and focused himself, gripping his lightsaber only Pong Krell knew what Leo was doing since he wasn't attacking "Do you yield?"

When the boy didn't answer him, Windu engaged him and struck from behind, Leo dropped low spinning his feet around and engaging. He swung his lightsaber at Windu in full motion from every direction he could think of, the sudden flurry of Leo's attack took Windu by surprise. The second wind smashed against Windu making him back up now and getting the audience of the duel to murmur wondering how Leo was able to get Windu off his guard. Windu dodged and did a full three sixty degree spin and smashed his lightsaber against Leos forcing the boy to retreat but not before Leo shot both his hands forward blasting Windu with the force. The Jedi Master jumped letting the push send him across the training ground when he landed the entire mood of the 'arena' had changed. Leo spun his lightsaber in his wrist and held it up with both hands then pointed it at Windu with a twist beckoning the Master for more.

Windu who had landed on his feet took his own stance and ran at him, Leo ran to before they both met lightsaber to lightsaber neither one of them backing down "I must say Pong your padawan is far more skilled in lightsaber combat then I first assumed." Plo said as they all watched.

"Master how long do you think he can keep this up?" Ahsoka whispered to Anakin "As long as Windu decides to go easy on him." Anakin said "This is easy?" Ahsoka asked him.

She received her answer when Windu parried one of Leo's blows and slashed the boy across the stomach, the boy never got a chance to yell from the pain before Leo drew back an open fist and punched him in the stomach. When the boy keeled over Windu grabbed him by his collar and pulled him forward and smashed his lightsaber on Leo's back when he caught himself on the stone floor. Leo started to stand up but Windu came back and swung his lightsaber into Leo's right arm. Anakin couldn't bare to watch as Windu began the final attack "Master this is starting to look like lurmen village." Leo fought his way to his feet before Windu came at him again, he blocked Winud's next strike but the next one took Leo in the leg making him collapse to one knee unable to stand, dropping his lightsaber. Windu walked by him kicking away his lightsaber as he approached Cin and the other masters. That's when Leo started to feel it, that thing that drove him, the primal feeling he felt in the village, the sunken temple on Naboo and Geonosis.

He wasn't the only one to feel it either, Windu being so close started to feel it as well, the pain fueling the anger, the drive to kill or be killed; Leo spat gritting his teeth holding in the growl or the beast within getting out. He glanced back at Leo who fought not only the pain he was feeling from Windus brutal attacks. Even his own friends and Master watched with bated breath as if Leo were about to unleash his nicknames meaning but something they couldn't see made Leo hold it in.

"Masters, as you can see my opponent cannot continue, this duel is finished." Windu claimed victory, Cin looked at him then at Leo behind him, eyes widening. As he gazed back Windu watched as Leo was on his feet again, he turned on his lightsaber one more time and held it up. Windu turned around to face him and Leo weekly raised his other hand to grab hold of his lightsaber ready for another round.

But then something that nobody expected to happen did, Windu turned off his lightsaber and raised his hand, fingers closed and said "I yield."A soaring gasp took over the training ground, every jedi in shock as Jedi Master Mace Windu forfeited the duel on purpose. Windu gave Leo a formal bow before turning around "Master Drallig please let the archives know the outcome of the duel and that Padawan Rock distinguished himself well."

"Of course Master." Cin said as Leo dropped his lightsaber and slowly sat down turning off his lightsaber. Many of the other jedi started to leave as the duel was over and so was the show, the only Jedi who remained behind were Ahsoka and Anakin, with Pong Krell standing where he had been the whole time.

"I got to say to Leo that may have been one of the most impressive things I've seen?" Anakin said "And I've seen a lot, but I think you just earned Master Windu's respect." Anakin said kneeling down beside Leo.

"Thank you sir." Leo said weakly smiling, his face had gotten a few new bruises from Windu and was covered in sweat.

Leo smiled at him out of breath and then looked up at Pong who only nodded and started to walk away, "I'm sure your Master will want to speak with you, after you've healed up." Anakin said standing up.

"Ahsoka help Rusty here to the medical wing will you?" Anakin ordered her before he walked off "On it Skyguy." She said holding her hand down to Leo "Come on Rusty."

Leo waved her hand away "Not yet, give me a minute." He said

Sighing Ahsoka sat down next to him looking up at the sky like he had earlier that day, now the two of them, the only jedi left in the training room "I swear Leo one of these days you'll be the death of me."

"I'd never do that." Leo said still exhausted "Then why do you always do these things, throw yourself at the biggest baddest enemy you can find do you want to die, but what can I expect when you've got that… thing?" She asked him not bringing up the red kyber crystal

Leo looked at her "... I got rid of it, the 'thing'." He admitted.

A wave of relief rushed over Ahsoka "You did, good." She told him, Ahsoka waited till Leo was ready, he looked up at the sky which was a mix of black and orange from the city lights.

"You know you don't need to worry about me so much Ahsoka, I'm pretty selfish actually." Leo said dismissively looking away from her "Bane, Geonosis, even just now I don't do it for you or General Skywalker I was doing it cause I wanted to, its who I am." Leo said.

"So that's why, you chased after a bounty hunter across the city, fought a hundred warriors and challenged a Jedi Master to a duel you couldn't win because it's who you are?" Ahsoka asked him looking at the training ground floor holding her knee resting her chin on it. Leo's eyes focused on her and she looked into his green eyes and he into her pale blue ones, both of them for a long time.

"Yeah pretty much." Leo said looking away again as he held his lightsaber "But to be more honest, before we left for Geonosis, Master Yoda asked me to not forget you all or forget who I was in these days ahead… I'm not really sure what that meant?" He said thinking out loud "It's given me pause to think about what you said, about what comes after." He said.

Leo lurched to his feet with Ahsoka helping him up again. "No, not the medbay, I want to look at the city." Leo said.

So she helped him up onto one of the walls and let him sit with his legs over the side of the temple looking out across the horizon, the lights of the skyscrapers and ships on the background of night an amazing sight to behold. "Its sights like this that help bring things into perspective you know?" Leo said.

"Uh maybe, you sure Windu didn't hit you in the head?" She asked him "Oh he did, three times in fact." Leo said "But I don't have a concussion, when I look out at Coruscant at the Republic, me doing all those things all this fighting it doesn't mean anything?" Leo said.

"How can you say that, we helped save a Lurmen village, you rescued Senator Amidalla and if you hadn't held off those Geonosian reinforcements master Kenobi may not be alive?" Ahsoka said trying not to let him water down his achievements but Leo didn't deny any of it or argue with her he just looked out at the city.

"Leo?" She asked trying to get him to say something "That's the thing Ahsoka, the reason I never did it to save anyone… anyone but myself?" Leo said holding up his lightsaber "So long as I have my lightsaber I've always survived, battle after battle I keep proving that thing to be true, that's what drove me; my battle meditation or whatever you want to call it before I met you and General Skywalker I always made it in whatever battle Master Krell put me into." He said raising his lightsaber hilt skyward looking at the basic lightsaber construction with no unique traits about it other than the scuffs and scratches running down its hilt.

Ahsoka thought he was done. "I don't want to die, but I don't want to live without meaning either and if I'm to fight it has to be for something more than just this war to end. I need to know all this death and destruction will mean something in the end."

She looked at Leo intently her mouth ajar "I… never knew you thought so much about this?"

"Heh yeah if you haven't guessed it I'm not really good about talking about my feelings?" He said snickering the last part before he got up on his own wincing a pit "Anyway this must all sound pretty dumb, sorry for talking your ear off it sounds pathetic now that I hear myself blabbing." He said trying to forget what he just said and how awkward it had made things.

Ahsoka got up to hold her hands out to help but it didn't look like he needed it "No, it doesn't. I don't know what I'll do with myself after the war."

"There's always exploring?" Leo said to her "Yeah, by the way you still never told me what you wanted to be, if you weren't a jedi?" She asked him.

Leo rolled his eyes, shaking his head "That again."

"Either tell me now or I'll let you limp to the medical wing on your own." She said offering him an ultimatum.

Groaning Leo turned to her "Fine and you promise you won't laugh?" He asked her.

"Jedi's honor." She said one hand over her heart the other fingers crossed behind her back.

Leo sighed "... Restaurateur."

"A what?" Ahsoka asked "I'd like to own my own restaurant, cook food, serve drinks and listen to people talk about where they've been… maybe you'd come by and tell me of all the things you've seen." Leo shrugged.

Ahsoka looked at him blankly before giving a soft giggle "You said you wouldn't laugh." Leo snapped "I wasn't laughing I was giggling theres a difference and besides that sounds great I mean last thing I expected, just make sure the foods good." she put her hands on his shoulder "Now come on, time to make that doctors night miserable."


	21. Lightsaber Lost

**_I'm going to try and spice this one up._**

**Chapter 21**

**Lightsaber Lost**

_CORUSCANT_

_Jedi Temple_

Leo and Pong were walking through the halls of the Jedi temple, by the tall glass windows that overlooked the city. "So what did you learn from Master Windu's lesson?" Krell asked him.

"Not to challenge a stronger opponent over pride." Leo admitted, Krell cocked his head to the side "From what Master Pong told me it wasn't pride rather aggravation, one that I saw justified."

Leo looked at the besalisk master "Justified?"

"The reports from the Council were at first concerning but then I began to see a pattern?" Besalisk said, crossing his lower arms and holding his jaw with his fist.

"A pattern Master?" Leo asked him.

"They fear you." Krell said.

"Fear me?" Leo asked him shocked.

Krell knodded "Indeed or at least they did, you see the reports with their concerns were all including you in combat, that awoke what one report read as 'bloodlust'."

"Bloodlust but you said it was-" "Battle meditation, yes and I still do Leo." Pong said interrupting him "This force rage you experience, I see it as a side effect of your latent potential as you were unaware when you fought you were only able to focus on your pain which in turn activated the primal instincts within us all I believe through the proper training and dedication we will be able to hone your Battle Meditation like the Jedi of the High Republic."

Leo listened to him smiling "But the fear is still there." Pong said.

"Why would they be afraid of them, I'm loyal to the Jedi?" Leo asked "To them they see you as a potential threat, your arrogance to Windu only stiffened their inquiries."

"For instance, have you had any contact with the dark side?" Pong asked him.

"... Only when Ventress tortured me." Leo said "And even though you resisted the arrogance of the Council still doubt you, it disgusts me." Pong said getting up and walking over to the window looking out the window "You could be the pride of the order, one of our greatest and still they deny you the respect you deserve." Pong said hands behind his back.

"Thank you… Master, your faith means a great deal." Leo said as he was distracted by Anakin and Ahsoka approaching them "Greetings Master Krell, Padawan Rock." Anakin said.

"Ah Skywalker, Padawan Tano always a pleasure." Pong said greeting them "We were on our way to apprehend an arms dealer in the lower city, care to join?" Anakin asked the two of them.

Pong didn't answer at first "Perhaps some other time, however Padawan Rock you should go get outside the temple we will speak more when you return."

LOWER CITY

The three Jedi were walking through one of the many streets at night, Ahsoka gave an uneasy look when they passed an alien sitting on a crate coughing before making a turn into an alley with some small shops along it as Anakin informed them as the arms dealer they were after "Car Affa is an arms dealer selling Republic weapons on the Black Market." Anakin said to them.

"Who's he selling them too?" Ahsoka asked as they stopped. "The Separatists." he replied before they continued walking "Why would he sell weapons to the Confederacy, don't the trade federation, techno union and banking clan supply the droids?" Leo asked Anakin but Anakin kept talking.

"According to intelligence, he's inside this joint." he said as they stopped in front of a nightclub.

"You two stay here, in case he tries to escape." he said as Ahsoka folded her arms before he entered the place.

"Just like always." she said to Leo "Still wondering who he'd be selling to." he agreed before they noticed two Weequays leaning against the wall, staring at them while a Kowakian monkey-lizard sitting on one's shoulder made some noises. Ahsoka patted her lightsaber and the Weequays smirked at them when they suddenly heard a lightsaber and blaster fire the patrons started running out, with a few bumping into the padawans as they ran past. Ahsoka was knocked to the ground and Leo walked over to help her.

He held his hand down "You okay?" He asked pulling her up when she noticed her lightsaber was missing "My lightsaber!" she said in a bit of a panicked tone as he pulled her up. They looked towards the patrons and noticed a Patrolian holding it in his hand, he looked at them briefly while walking away. "Hey!" Ahsoka yelled to him before she and Leo ran towards the crowd.

They stopped and looked around when noticing he was gone. "My Master's gonna kill me." she said worriedly as she looked around a bit more.

"This isn't happening, after I got on him for losing his he'll kill me." she said in disbelief.

"I'm sure he'll help us look" Leo said before Ahsoka turned around and grabbed him "Oh no, I hid the fact you had a sith crystal you are not TELLING HIM." She snapped, grabbing him by the collar, running back to the nightclub just as Anakin was exiting it with Car in binders.

"Where were you two?" he asked them.

"We… We were checking out a suspect, I had a bad feeling about him." she lied. "And?" he asked her. "It was nothing but a false alarm." she replied, still lying. "Come on then." he said as they started walking.

Leo and Ahsoka followed him as Ahsoka drew her finger across her neck if he said anything.

By the time they got back to the temple it was sunrise, Leo could see Ahsoka's disappointment in herself as they walked through one of the temple hallways escorting Car. "Master?" she asked and they stopped to look at her before continuing, "Is it alright if I go to the library and do some research?" she asked. "Sure. I'll take care of our little 'friend' here, Leo you should return to Master Krell." he said before continuing on.

"So this research, need any help?" Leo asked her.

"No this is my mistake, I should fix it on my own." She said before Leo started to follow her "I said I don't need your help." Ahsoka said.

He snickered, "I'm not helping you, I need to do my own research." Leo said smiling as she saw he wasn't taken no for an answer.

Once they reached the library they approached Jocasta for help and she went on one of the computers to try finding the thief from their description. "I'm sure if you explain your loss to your master, he'll understand." she suggested to Ahsoka.

"No he tells me over and over you're lightsaber is your life, don't lose it." Ahsoka groaned as they sat down at a computer looking through the files of criminals.

"There has to be a better way to find this thief." Ahsoka said as she took a few steps away. "I'm sorry, pickpockets aren't my field of expertise." Jocasta apologized as Ahsoka stepped away. "At this rate it'll take me years to find him." She said in a dejected tone as Jocasta stood up from the chair.

"I might have another idea there." the librarian started as she pointed to a Cosian male sitting at another computer between two shelves, she continued to speak as they made their way over to him. "That is Tera Sinube, He's an elder Jedi he happens to be an expert on the Coruscant crime world." Jocasta said as they followed her up to Master Sinube.

"I think he's sleeping." Ahsoka pointed out as they heard him snoring before stopping behind him. "Yes well, he will be able to help you." Jocasta assured her, Ahsoka looked at Leo who shrugged letting her take the lead on this adventure.

"Uh… Pardon me, Master Sinube?" Ahsoka asked as she patted him on shoulder gently, trying to wake him up.

"What? Who?" he said, looking around before noticing Ahsoka and speaking, "I was just resting my eyes." He said turning his white headed beak to the two younglings.

When he saw them, the two padawans forced smiles as the librarian spoke "Hello Master Sinube." Jocasta greeted.

"Good morning Jocasta." he greeted before turning his attention back to Ahsoka. "I don't know you two, do I?" he asked, not sounding sure if he did or not.

"My name is Ahsoka Tano and this is Leo Rock." she introduced the two of them.

Leo gave a polite smile and Sinube looked at him closely "Are you sure I don't know you, you look familiar?" He said "I don't think so?" He asked.

"I was told you could help me?" she asked the elder Jedi, getting his attention "Help you?" he asked, sounding like he was unsure if she really did ask him for help.

Jocasta Finally started to leave "I'll leave you three to your business." Jocasta said before walking away. "A thief stole my lightsaber and we only got a quick look at him. I could tell he definitely came from one of the aquatic planets you know, one of the water worlds." Ahsoka explained to him. Master Sinube rubbed his chin a bit.

Sinube smiled as he thought something clever "So you're saying there was something fishy about him." he said before laughing and typing into the computer.

Master Sinube stopped after a few seconds before turning to the computer. "Well let's try and see if we can find where he went, shall we?" he suggested.

"We were near the Slum district G17." Ahsoka told him as she walked to the other side of the chair as Sinube brought up a map of the district. "Where would he go, your little pickpocket..." he wondered, looking at the map as Ahsoka paced back and forth behind the chair. "Gangster hideouts unlikely, but possible maybe the gun market sells lightsabers… just a moment, let me see. He was a Patrolian, that's a fish guy. Maybe…" Sinube trailed off a bit as the computer beeped and he brought up six photos, each with a different face on it. Ahsoka and Leo walked up beside him.

"Is it one of these fishes?" he asked them, pointing at the screen.

Ahsoka scanned the wanted posters "That's him!" the padawans said and pointed towards the yellowish-green one at the same time.

"Interesting indeed according to the file his name is Bannamu, a petty thief he hangs out in the Slum district." Sinube told them, Ahsoka looked at Leo with hope in her eyes about getting her lightsaber back.

"Thank you, Master Sinube." Ahsoka said, giving him a grateful smile. "I'm sure I-" he started to reply before she cut him off "Your help has been invaluable.",

Sinube got up "Well, you're welcome." he said, as she kept speaking. "If there's anything I can do." she said, taking a few steps back as he turned the chair to face them and grabbed his cane replying, "Yes there is I haven't been on assignment in years, and if you don't slow down you're not going to find what you're looking for. I'll come with you." Sinube got out of the chair and the three Jedi started making their way towards the exit.

"Okay, gramps… It would be nice to have extra company." Ahsoka agreed, hesitantly. "Splendid!" Sinube said joyfully.

SLUM DISTRICT

Once they were in the district they made their way to a noodle shop just as the Quarren owner gave a bowl to the only patron there; the three each took a seat on the remaining stools and the owner leaned on the counter in front of Ahsoka and the others. "Can I help you?" he asked her.

"We're looking to buy a lightsaber, any ideas where we could do that?" she asked in a hushed voice, Leo eyed the other man next to her "Come with me." he said, gesturing with his head. They got off the stools and walked over to the side of the shop as the owner exited through the side door and leaned against the same vehicle a male Twi'lek was also leaning against. "So, you wanna buy a lightsaber, how much are you willing to pay?" he asked. "If you have it, you'll give it me." she demanded, glaring at him and holding her hand out.

The Twi'lek stepped up to them and Leo started to reach for his lightsaber, keeping it out of sight from the dealers before Sinube stopped him. "What my little friend is saying, is how much?" Sinube asked, trying to prevent a potential fight.

"20,000." the Quarren replied.

"20,000?" Ahsoka asked in disbelief. "It's a rare weapon a Jedi weapon." he countered.

Sinube leaned in on his cane "You have the item with you?" Sinube asked. "No, but I can get it." he replied, leaning against the speeder again Ahsoka held a holopad up and activated it, bringing up a hologram of Bannamu. "From him?" she asked.

The Quarren abruptly stood back up straight. "Hey, who are these guys?" he said before walking to the front of the speeder. "They are Jedi!" the Twi'lek accused, pointing at them while looking at his friend.

"And if we are?" Sinube asked the Quarren to stop and turned around before speaking, "I don't wanna get mixed up with Jedi we were just doing our old friend Bannamu a favour."

"Well I think it's time you forget about him and do me a favour that's my lightsaber he stole." Ahsoka said with a glare. "Oh. Well… uh… That makes a difference, what do you want me to do?" he asked, sounding less than thrilled about his current predicament. "I want you to tell me where he is." she replied.

The Quarren fumbled with his tentacle like hands "I hope you remember this and someday do me a favour he's not that far away he's at the Spider Arms Hostel." the Twi'lek replied instead.

Just as the Twi'lek said, it wasn't far away nnly about thirty minutes later did the three Jedi reach it. After stepping through the door, they walked up to a male Rodian behind the counter. "May I help you?" he asked. "We know where we're going." Sinube said as he waved at him before they ran away from the counter.

"You know where you are going." Rodian said in a dazed tone.

Leo watched the rodian look at them before sinking back into the counter "Neat trick?" Leo said.

"Thank you my lad, I used it once to get past pirates during the Stark Hyperspace War." Leo's eyes grew wide "You were in the Stark Hyperspace war?" Leo asked him as they followed Ahsoka.

Sinube nodded "Indeed, in my youth."

They followed her up the stairs, "We must be careful not to warn him." Sinube said in a hushed voice as they walked through one of the hallways.

"But Master, we don't know where we're going." Ahsoka said before making a frustrated sound as they stopped. "He could be in any one of these rooms!" she said, with an agitated tone.

"You need to be more quiet, young one." the old Jedi warned "Okay. Okay." she said, her tone still agitated but speaking more quietly, Sinube shook his head. "Not quite with your mouth. Quiet with your mind you're so anxious to find this pickpocket, that your worry is equal to his." he said before continuing on.

"You mean if I relax, I can sense Bannamu's anxiety?" she asked in a softer tone as the two padawans started catching up to him. "Yes If you relax, you would realize he's in this room." Sinube said, as they stopped outside one of the doors.

Ahsoka walked up to the door and squeezed her hand into a fist "I got this." she said before kicking down the door the padawan then rushed into the room as Bannamu jumped in his computer seat upon seeing them.

"Well, well. Bannamu I assume?" Ahsoka asked, glaring at him.

"Who are you? What do you want?" he asked, hands up in defense, Instead of replying, she picked him up by his arms before slamming him onto his desk and holding him down. "My lightsaber, you slimy thief! I want it back, now!" she demanded in a low voice growling at him.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey. I no have it! I swear! I got rid of it. I almost kill myself with that thing." Bannamu said, pleading with her.

"What did you do with it?" she demanded again. "No, I don't recall." he replied. "You little…!" she threatened, holding her fist up.

"Ahsoka!" Sinube chastised in a snap, she relented and let go of Bannamu before taking a step back, allowing him to stand.

"It's not smart to steal from a Jedi." she warned with a glare.

Bannamu didn't seem to take her serious "You're looking a little too young to be a Jedi." he said, narrowing his eyes in disbelief, Ahsoka picked him up with the Force and slammed him against the opposite wall before walking up to finally relented, "Okay, okay, okay. His name is Movers. Yes, uh… Nack Movers."

Ahsoka released her Force-grip on him and he fell to the floor before turning her head to Sinube. "Nack Movers?" she asked him.

"He's a very dangerous one, well known in the underworld." the thief answered laughing a bit seeing they were worried. "Yes, exactly! I sell it to him you should be afraid I got a good price he was very, very motivated you can find him with his girlfriend. She has a place on the upper east side of our Happyland. I bet he's there now. Oh, he's always there-" Ahsoka cut him off with an irritated ton, "You can stop talking now.", "Okay, I shut up." he complied, lowering his head.

The three jedi started to leave "Well, at least you know where your lightsaber is." Sinube said.

"Yeah, it's in the hands of a killer this is exactly what I was afraid of." she said in a dejected tone.

Leo walked up to her "Don't you think your being a bit dramatic?" he asked her "Says you?"

"Yeah your not the one who's wielding the lightsaber, don't worry we'll get it back?" Leo said patting her on the shoulder as they headed to the east side.

Upon reaching the upper east side they headed up near the top of one of the highrise towers and made their way through the hallways. "Guys, we've got to hurry!" Ahsoka said with urgency in her voice as she stopped.

"Patience, Ahsoka." Sinube said calmly as they continued walking, Sinube quickly started speaking again in case she ran off again "You worry that if people die at the hands of your lightsaber that you will be as guilty for their death as the one who strikes the blow, A valid concern, young one and one for you to puzzle out." Ahsoka looked at the ground in thought as they stopped outside a door.

Suddenly they heard a commotion on the other side "What? What, is it?" Ahsoka asked the old Jedi Master. "I believe we've reached our destination." he said before the two padawans grabbed the side of the door and pulled it open.

"Oh, no." she said with a small gasp upon noticing a male Trandoshan on the floor inside the dark room Ahsoka ran up to him and lowered to one knee.

"Let me guess, Nack Movers?" she said in a low and angry tone before checking his body as the other two Jedi walked up behind her. "A reasonable assumption." Sinube said. "He's dead." she said in the same tone before a lamp near the balcony suddenly fell. The three Jedi immediately turned their attention towards that area, Leo drew his lightsaber ready for anything when A female alien with pinkish skin stuck her head out. "Are they- are they gone?" she asked shaking with fear.

Sinube took a few steps towards her "Who's gone?" he asked as Leo lowered his lightsaber.

"The men who killed Nack. Oh, no!" she said before starting to cry into her hands.

"Who are you?" Ahsoka asked her, the woman sat on the steps in front of them before replying, "Ione Marcy, I came home and found him here like this." Ione placed her face in her hands again before Ahsoka asked.

Ione avoided looking them in the eye "Ione did you call for help, why were you hiding?" Ione removed her hands and looked at them.

"I was afraid." she admitted in a fearful tone.

Sinube waved for the padawans to come closer. "She seems terrified." he said in a hushed tone but loud enough for only them to hear, they looked at Ione crying in her hands again. "I sense something else is troubling her." he said after a moment. "I'll search the other rooms." Ahsoka told him. "Right behind you snips." Leo said following her into the room.

'The two padawans silently crept into the room before hiding behind a corner. They jumped out from behind only to find nothing but a bed and a few other things in the room along with some light coming from the window. Leo crouched down and looked under the bed before standing back up and wiping his pants clean. "Beds clear." he said just as she opened a wardrobe cabinet, only to find nothing, suddenly Leo started to feel a warning in the force.

"Look out!" he yelled, unfortunately neither had time to react and out of the shadows came a Terrelian Jango Jumper woman punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground. Ahsoka glared up at the woman while holding the side of her face. Leo immediately reached for his saber and looked at his belt "Time to die!" the woman declared to them before grabbing something from her belt and turned it on striking at Ahsoka, Leo jumped between them blocking the green blade from taking Ahsoka.

Ahsoka saw she was holding the green blade "My lightsaber!" Ahsoka exclaimed in realization, "You think?" Leo asked her, when the attacker saw the white blade.

"You're Jedi?!" the jango jumper gasped and before they could reply she rushed to the window and smashed the glass with her boot before jumping out.

"Come on." Ahsoka told him as they ran to the window and looked down to see the woman sliding down the side of the tower, in an effort to escape. Ahsoka jumped out first and started sliding down the side in the same manner with Leo right behind him. The jango jumper suddenly jumped off the side with the padawans following her. Both padawans jumped as they reached the edge and noticed the woman nearing the edge of the one below. The thief jumped again and flew across to the other tower, managing to land on one of the ledges against the side of it. As the two padawans jumped across she started to run along the ledge as they landed where she had a moment ago before taking off after her.

Ahsoka brought her com-link up as they ran. "Master Sinube, you're right we found the intruder and she has my lightsaber- she's a Terrelian Jango Jumper and hard to keep up with!" she yelled over the wind.

"So the assailant is a female?" he asked back in the room with Ione as the woman jumped off the edge and landed on a rooftop below. The padawans chased after her and rolled once they landed before standing back up quickly and continuing to sprint after her. The Jedi jumped and weaved around objects on the roof, soon managing to catch up to her and soon as they turned she started wall-jumping between two parts of the roof.

Ahsoka jumped first before having to grab onto a lower ledge, with Leo jumping onto the ledge and was about to help her up when they noticed the woman holding Ahsoka's activated saber and something big falling off the upper ledge she had jumped onto, Leo ran up to her quickly helped Ahsoka up and they jumped to an opposite ledge just as it passed them before hitting the ground. The woman had a look of disbelief upon seeing them safe before taking off again, while padawans jumped up and once again gave chase.

The two padawans almost had her cornered as the three were now side-stepping on a ledge with their backs against the wall. Leo looked down as he kept side-stepping.

The jango jumper soon turned around a corner and once the padawans turned they noticed her standing far below them on one of the hovering billboards above the flying traffic. The two ran to the end of a magnetic cranes short bridge and looked down at her, LEo already knew what they were gonna do.

"You can't be serious?" he sighed in defeat, Ahsoka nodded with a smile jumped off before somersaulting during their descent through the skies of Coruscant.

Leo rolled his eyes "Bloody hell you'll be the death of me Ahsoka." he said before following her and landing behind her and crouched to one knee upon landing before continuing to chase the woman.

Once they reached the second one the woman turned on Ahsoka's lightsaber and slashed the top of it causing the billboard to start falling slowly before she jumped to the third one and slashed it as well, luckily the padawans managed to jump onto the second one and rush to the other side quickly. Unfortunately the fourth one started to descend in the opposite direction, causing the side they were facing to go higher. Ahsoka managed to jump high enough to grab the ledge before pulling herself up. His blood ran cold upon hearing a scream she recognized, she looked down to see Leo holding onto the edge for dear life with one hand.

She looked at the theif who had to have been at least 20ft away and noticed her start climbing up a building side using a pipe getting away.

"Ahsoka, go! I'll be fine!" Leo yelled at her before she made her choice, she ran over to the side of the ledge and reached down for him and pulled him up.

"T-thanks." Leo said his heart raced before the two of them resumed the chase, jumping over the gaps between the buildings onto the same pipe the thief was on. The woman suddenly stopped and brought her arm up for a moment before continuing. Ahsoka looked at Leo and nodded towards the pipe, Leo smiled recognizing her intent getting at and they both started using the Force to pull the pipe apart above the woman.

The pipe fell towards the left of them with her still hanging on as it now leaned into traffic. The two Jedi started walking on it as the woman pulled herself up and started to jump on the pipe, causing it to bounce quite a bit, both Leo and Ahsoka started to lose their balance till out of the sky traffic Ione appeared on a speeder.

"What?" Leo gasped before the jango jumper leapt from the pipe onto the speeder, "Leo we have to let go." Ahsoka said as the pipe shook "Alright." Leo said before the two of them let go and dropped down onto another building ledge.

Leo and Ahsoka looked out at the city "She's gone." Ahsoka moaned.

"We'll find her Ahsoka." Leo said, touching her on the shoulder, "She killed that man, with my lightsaber." Ahsoka said in shame "But you weren't the one who was holding it." he said, trying to ease her pain.

Ahsoka shook her head "But I-" "But nothing Ahsoka." Leo said, grabbing her "You are not responsible for this, you're a good person- no you're the best person I know next to General Skywalker." Ahsoka fought her smile before she gave in to his cheering. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Guess we're going to have to learn patience after all." Ahsoka said watching the sun rise between the buildings.

Eventually master Sinube arrived with a speeder bike in tow "I see you've learned patience, young one." he complimented with a smile on his beak.

"Where'd you get those speeders?" she asked with a questioning glance and a smirk before they got on.

"I asked one of the police droids to lend me some transportation they were kind enough to oblige." the old master replied as she sat on the speeder and Leo got behind her to hold on to her hips.

Soon they started to take off "Master Sinube what happened with Ione, we saw her save the theif?" Leo asked her.

"She attacked me before escaping. Turns out they killed Nack." Sinube said as he took a left and the padawans followed.

Ahsoka gritted her teeth hearing the victims name again "We have to hurry before they kill anyone else." Ahsoka said staring to speed up.

"Patience! We'll cut them off at the train station!" the old Jedi yelled over the traffic.

"How do you know they're headed there?" She asked him, while he grabbed something from his pocket and held it up for them to see as they got closer to the train station.

"Did I mention I planted a tracking device on Ione, the girl that ran away?" he said, winking at them.

"No." she replied as they descended towards the station before parking their bikes just a bit inside the place. The two padawans hopped off theirs and started looking around while waiting for Sinube. Once he stepped off his speeder the three of them started making their way through the station the old Jedi held the tracker as it beeped while they walked before it suddenly stopped.

They stopped walking when it happened and shared a look before the two padawans jogged forward a bit. "There!" Leo pointed before they both started running.

"Stop them!" Ahsoka yelled over the noise, a couple of police droids managed to seize Ione but the woman they chased earlier activated Ahsoka's blade and cut down two droids before making a run for it. The two kids rushed past a restrained Ione and after her partner. She pushed a male Bith out of the way while attempting to get on the train only for the door to close when she reached it before turning around to face the padawans as they reached her. Instead of replying she deactivated the saber and jumped on top the now moving train.

Leo and Ahsoka jumped up onto it as well and started chasing after her as the train started picking up speed. The woman jumped onto one of the lower areas of the train and the Jedi followed immediately. She then flipped upside-down over the side and smashed the window open with the lightsaber before jumping in. The padawans quickly flipped through the window and started chasing her again and immediately stopped a few feet away from her when she took a female Twi'lek and her child hostage, lightsaber ready to kill. "You're trapped surrender now and turn the lightsaber over to me." Ahsoka ordered with a glare.

"Don't tell me what to do! I've got a lightsaber and I'm as powerful as Jedi!" the snarled Ahsoka attempted to take another step which in turn caused the woman to bring the blade closer. Ahsoka had a thoughtful look on her face before looking back at the woman. "I'll trade myself for them you know how much I'm worth to the Jedi, it's a good deal all you have to do is let them go." Ahsoka said.

"Right... I let them go and your friend rips me half." the woman said sarcastically, when suddenly the train stopped and the door opened to reveal Master Sinube. Ahsoka used the force to pull the killers arm off the hostages and Leo used the force to grab the hostages away.

Sinube held iup his cane and twisted it to reveal the hilt was actually a ligthsaber, turning it on a light blue blade popped out to face the killer.

She attacked Sinube who easily blocked the woman's slash before saber-locking with her and twisting the blade out of her grasp. Ahsoka caught the activated blade and took a stance only for the old Jedi to knock her out cold with the walking end of his cane. "For a guy that moves slow, you always seem to get ahead of me." she said to him as he sheathed his saber in his cane.

"The value of moving slowly is that one can always clearly see the way ahead." he said wisely before three police droids ran onto the train, one aimed a blaster at her while the other two looked her over. Ahsoka smiled as she looked at her saber before sheathing it and looking outside at the mother and child hugging.

JEDI TEMPLE

After a short shuttle ride, the three Jedi walked through one of the halls in the temple after covering Ahsoka's ligthsaber. "Well I'd best be getting back to my master before he misses me." Ahsoka said to Sinube.

"Certainly, but first I need one last favour from you." Sinube asked.

"Sure. Name it." she said with a small smile

Sinube stopped just outside one of the youngling training rooms "Pass on what you have learned." he said. Ahsoka smiled at him as they walked through a door with four younglings wearing training helmets and Master Yoda teaching them.

Sinube looked down at Leo "Hello old friend." Sinube greeted him as the younglings removed their helmets and and the five deactivated their sabers.

"Greetings, Master Sinube." Yoda greeted back with a smile before turning to Ahsoka.

"Padawan Tano, a lesson you have for us today, hmm?" he asked her.

"Yes." she said with a small smile before holding her saber up. "A lesson in patience." Sinube added. "Gather around, younglings listen to the padawan, you shall." Yoda instructed them. "This weapon is your life, but it is also your responsibility don't let it out of your sight." she said, kneeling in front of them, Leo smiled seeing things were alright before he turned around starting to leave. Sinube watched him go before slightly following him.

When Sinube was out of the room to follow him "Padawan Rock, a moment?"

Leo turned around "Yes Master, do I owe you a favor too?" Leo asked with a smile.

"No, I just wanted to commend you on assisting your friend." Sinube said as the two of them started to walk.

"She's always been there for me and I'll be there for her." Leo said confidently "Well I'm sure she's grateful, thank you for your time I assume Master Krell will be waiting for you somewhere." Sinube said before letting him go. Sinube watched the boy walk off till he wasn't alone anymore Plo Koon approached him from behind "Greetings Master Sinube." Plo said.

Sinube turned around "Greetings my old friend, I assume you are here because of my interactions with the boy."

"Indeed, and?" Plo asked him.

"I sense no darkness within him, so long as we of the light remain here to show him the way." Sinube said, smiling.

"And… his heritage?" Plo asked Sinube "He knows nothing."

Plo Koon watched Leo walk away "For now."

_**Sorry, if this wasn't much to go on, its Ahsoka's episode after all, by the way give me the final episodes of season two or we jump to the ending of this book. **_


	22. Bounty Hunters

**Thought about doing the Duchess of Mandalore Arc but decided to hold off on it, trust me it'll be worth it in the end. To be fair this is one of the best episodes as it pays homage to the SEVEN SAMURAI from the incredibly acclaimed talented Akira Kurosawa, though it will Seven plus one one more with our boy Leo and Hondo will have something interesting to say. **

**Chapter 22**

**Bounty Hunters**

JEDI TEMPLE

Training Grounds

Leo and Ahsoka's lightsabers crashed against one another like a mighty wave on rock, Ahsoka's reverse grip made her dance around Leo who wasn't pushed back by her strikes instead engaging her in hacking and slashes that pushed her back when he actually was able to make a connection. Up on the training ground walls Anakin and Pong both watched intently "Work on your counters Ahsoka."

"Padawan do not let up, press the advantage." Pong ordered him.

Anakin could sense a bit of arrogance in Pong's voice "With respect Master, this is just a friendly sparring duel." Anakin said to him.

"And if it were a real duel, my Padawan would have won three times over." Pong said confidently and with a bit of smugness.

Anakin felt a stab at his pride as a teacher "Ahsoka, take off the kid gloves."

The padawan heard Anakin's request and smiled at Leo who sighed "Great."

Ahsoka ran up at Leo and started to flip and twirl around the air before she swung up at him and turned her lightsaber off and tossed it in the air as she moved under his next swing. She stuck her leg out tripping Leo catching her lightsaber and pointed it at Leo as he fell to the ground defeated.

"Ha." Anakin said to Pong who frowned "I mean, Leo fought well."

"Hardly… PADAWAN!" Pong yelled, marching down from the wall into the training ground as Leo was helped up by Ahsoka "Good luck." Ahsoka whispered to him as she started to head over to her own master.

Leo could feel a scolding coming on but stood his ground "What was that, you could have easily taken her five moves before she used that trick?" Pong berated hands, all four on his hips.

"I didn't want to hurt her?" Leo said shrugging "Hurt her, how She is the Padawan of Anakin Skywalker one of the greatest swordsmen in our order, how could someone as pathetic as you hurt her?"

"Pathetic?" Leo asked his face turning from meek shame to an angered scowl "I killed two Sith Acolytes, I was able to fight Master Windu, how am I pathetic?" Leo snapped up at Pong. Their raised voices caught the attention of Anakin who was congratulating Ahsoka on her win "This doesn't look good." Anakin said as Obi-Wan walked into the training grounds.

Pong's face turned bright red like a red lightsaber. "I am your Master and you are my apprentice, if you can call it that with how you fight?"

"If my fighting skills are lacking it's because I had a poor teacher." Leo barked.

Obi-Wan walked up next to Anakin "I'd say it's good to see Master Krell taking his duties as a master seriously however Pong's pride is not something he takes likely."

"I mean we bickered a bit didn't we?" Anakin asked Obi-Wan "True, in the meantime we've been ordered to rendezvous with a medical station over Felucia."

Back over with pong and Leo "Then perhaps you are in need of another teacher, one who you think you deserve." Pong said, looking over at Skywalker and Kenobi starting to leave.

"Skywalker, Kenobi off to another mission?" Pong asked, looking away from Leo to them.

Obi-Wan turned around slowly "Indeed to the Felucia system to a medical station?"

"Good, take Padawan Rock perhaps reminding him what true Jedi do in obeying their Masters will remind him why he suffered so needlessly at Windu's sword." Pong said walking away from Leo abandoning him again "Um sure sounds fine?" Anakin said before Obi-Wan glared at him, unhappy with accepting Pong volunteering Leo's aid.

Leo watched his master Leave before Anakin approached him "Come on Rusty, back to the grind." Anakin said before LEo looked up at him "Yes General."

He followed them out of the training grounds and into the hanger, as Obi-Wan looked back at the disappointed Leo, then up to Anakin like he'd done something wrong. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Anakin asked in a hushed tone as they approached the jedi transport.

"Need I remind you Ahsoka is your Padawan learner, not Leo, you know the bond between a Master and Padawan is strong, if the Council decreed that Leo was to be Pongs student then he should be with Pong." Obi-Wan lectured.

Anakin shrugged "Oh come on it's great having him along, besides if your so worried about Leo why don't you take a turn looking after him this time it'll be like having me."

Obi-Wan shivered "Please don't remind me…"

They all started to board the ship before Leo stopped at the ramp and looked over his shoulder to see Pong standing in the hanger doorway, glaring at Leo before turning away and leaving him behind, again.

Ahsoka noticed Leo's head and shoulders slump "Come on Rusty, galaxy isn't going to save itself." She urged for him to board the ship T-6.

"On it Snips… on it." He said following her aboard the shuttles, meanwhile outside the hanger Pong walked down the hallways before he found himself confronted by Masters Yoda, Plo and Sinube.

Pong gave a polite bow, "Masters." Before he started to walk around them "A moment of your time 'Genera'." Plo said, getting him to stop "We need to speak to you about your Padawan."

_FELUCIA_

After jumping into hyperspace for trip to the Felucia System, everyone settled in for the short ride as Ahsoka was Anakin's copilot and Obi-Wan was sitting next to Leo who was looking out at the blue vortex of hyperspace longingly "Are you all right?" Obi-Wan asked him.

"Fine General Kenobi- I mean Master Kenobi." Leo replied looking over at him "Yout thoughts dwell on your Master, on why he sent you away?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Anakin snickered from the driver seat "No use hiding it Leo, I couldn't hide anything from my old Master." Anakin said.

"No need to worry General Skywalker, this won't affect the mission I promise." Leo said, Obi-Wan scratched his beard deciding to drop it for another time.

Later the shuttle came out of hyperspace near Felucia, when they came out of the jump the planet was before them a bright ball of colorful terrain and sky's "That's Felucia, dead ahead." Anakin said as they got closer.

"But where's the medical station, don't see anything on my scanners." Ahsoka said before it started beeping, Leo got up and looked between their chairs "Are they on the other side of the planet maybe?" He asked

"No, I'm not picking up any signals- wait there's something, vulture droids." she said all four Jedi saw a Vulture Droid holding a container in orbit around Felucia open and send its birds out for their latest victim.

Anakin immediately took evasive maneuvers as Leo jumped back into his seat "Hang on!" Anakin said as he started flying closer to the planet, trying to avoid their fire.

"I guess we know what happened to the medical station." Obi-Wan mused before the thruster was suddenly blown out, the ship started to give an emergency beeping as it descended towards the planet.

"That's not good!" Obi-Wan said next to Leo as Anakin and Ahsoka tried stabilizing the ship. "They took out the plasma conduit!" Ahsoka exclaimed as the shuttle entered the planet's atmosphere, blowing through clouds and flocks of Felucia fauna. Panic started to creep into them all as they were only a few hundred feet away from the surface heading straight for one of Felucia large fungus like towers. "You thinking what i'm thinking?" Anakin asked with a smirk.

Leo looked to see absolute dread on the famed Masters face "Almost certainly not." Obi-Wan disagreed before they slipped on breath masks. "Looks like we're doing this the hard way." Anakin said, slipping on his own mask, "Leo under your seat." Obi-Wan said to him Leo quickly reached out underneath his seat and pulled a mask with a tube on it over his face.

"Starting ejection sequence!" he said before pressing a few buttons as they got closer to a huge cliff. "How come every time you fly we crash?" Ahsoka wondered with an irritated tone as they got closer to the ground Leo seeing the vulture droids following close behind.

"It's not my fault! It's the ship!" he shot back, as they were now dangerously close to the cliff. "Ready to eject." Ahsoka said as they grabbed the handles on the right side of their seats. "Wait!" Anakin said as they kept getting closer.

"Now!" he exclaimed as they all pulled their handles and were ejected from the cockpit. Four large rubber balls surrounded their seats as they started bouncing off Felucia a huge flora tower, as the vulture droids followed the shuttle into a fiery explosion

The four ejected pods bounced between the trees and fungus of Felucia with different reactions inside "He always- Blaems - the ship." Ahsoka complained between each bounce.

"She always- blames- me." Anakin grumbled.

Leo's was more of a "Why- do- we always- CRASH!" Leo screamed as in Obi-Wans ejected pod he was just sighing arms crossed before it came to as top "Another happy landing." The four pods exploded with air coming out of them as the three jedi came out of the pods unscathed.

"You alright there, Master?" Anakin asked Obi-Wan with a smirk, Leo tore his mask back into the round rubber pod before making his way to Ahsoka as she stepped out of hers. "I'm fine, Anakin." Obi-Wan said as he and the Knight made their way to the padawans.

"Where on Felucia do you think we are?" Ahsoka asked Leo them after tossing her mask back inside the pod when the four then started walking away from the pods.

Obi-Wan looked around at the environment seeing they were in a dense thickly treed forest of fungus "I'm not sure." Obi-Wan answered.

A few minutes later they heard a growl. "I don't like the sound of that." Ahsoka said, uneasiness in her tone as they stopped walking. "And I don't like the look of that." Anakin said, pointing ahead.

Two gigantic purple spiked rancors walked across the path they were on, a few feet ahead of them. "We don't wanna scare 'em." Anakin warned quietly as the second rancor disappeared behind some of the planet's huge flora. "We can't just wander around aimlessly we need a plan." Obi-Wan pointed out.

"You always taught me to go on instinct and my instincts tell me to go that way." Anakin smirked, pointing towards the rancors. Obi-Wan held his chin. "No, that doesn't seem right I think we should go this way." he said pointing in the direction the rancors came from, meanwhile the two padawans smirked at each other while listening to the men bickered, Leo and Ahsoka then spotted pillars of smoke in the distance as the two men continued to argue.

"Why do you even ask for my opinion, you never do things my way." Anakin said to him. "We crashed the ship your way." Obi-Wan countered, Ahsoka shook her head at them, smirk still in place. "Very funny. I see your sense of humour survived the landing." Anakin said sarcastically.

Rolling his eyes at the man who was still much child in his eyes "It's about the only thing." Obi-Wan grumbled. Ahsoka held out her hand for Leo to bring up the smoke they spotted but Leo waved his hand and gave an over the top bow for her to have the honor.

"If you two are done arguing, I think there's some smoke on the horizon." Ahsoka cut in, pointing to the plume of smoke rising ahead in the distance. "Which means people and a way off this planet." she pointed out before her, she walked between them with Leo following her "That was well worth the trip." Leo whispered to her.

"Well worth the crash." She said as the other jedi joined them.

After trudging through the forest for a while when they felt the ground shake like before, "That's not good." Anakin said as out of the jungle came one of the rancor's that must have caught their scent, it tore the trees out of the ground with its massive claws roaring and baying for blood. Anakin, Ahsoka and Leo tore out their lightsabers ready for anything but Obi-Wan raised his hand "Wait don't- it thinks we're a territorial threat."

"We're the threat?" Leo asked in shock looking at the snarling rancor's massive jaws.

"Lower your weapons now." Obi-Wan ordered them walking forward raising his hand to the beast.

The rancor roared down at him "What is he doing?" Ahsoka said frantically, Anakin only smirked, lowering his lightsaber "Oh you're in for a treat."

The padawans watched in awe as Obi-Wan raised his hand and the Rancor growls started to die down, it bent its head forward as Obi-Wan reached out with the force to the beast. The rancor sniffed the jedi its large nose sucking in air like a leaf blower before Obi-Wan rested his palm on its snout, the Rancor let out a loud yet soft moan like a big dog would before closing its eyes.

It rose then turned around and started to walk off when out of the brush came three rancor much smaller than the bull but twice as tall as Obi-Wan and Anakin, "What just happened?" Leo asked, amazed.

"It thought we were after its young, most animals won't attack unless threatened. I made sure it knew we weren't a threat." Obi-Wan said before continuing on, the three of them following.

"A jedi versus a Rancor, I'd pay good credits to see that?" Ahsoka said.

Leo nodded "Me too."

Later when they started to get closer to the smoke, they saw a large village ahead of them "Look there's a village." Ahsoka said after about half an hour of walking.

"Maybe they have a ship we can borrow." Anakin said as they walked into the village, the village was comprised of over a dozen houses knitted together between fields of crops with a large barn in the center with its door closed.

"They're growing healing herbs." she noticed "Nysillin I believe, one of the most valuable crops in the galaxy." Obi-Wan pointed out.

Leo reached for his lightsaber seeing nobody around just empty houses and tools laying around "This place looks deserted." Ahsoka said as they stopped walking while Anakin folded his arms.

"I don't believe it is. The crops are ready to be harvested, tools lying about. No, somethings amiss." Obi-Wan said. "Well, there's one thing I learned where I grew up. If you wanna know what a farmer's up to, look their barn." Anakin said as they walked up to the huge building.

He pressed the button on the side and the door went up inside there was an SS-54 assault ship, with green painted stripes going down its bow and wings "This is an odd ship for farmers perhaps someones here to pick up the nysillin?" Obi-Wan guessed.

"I still don't get it, where is everyone?" Ahsoka wondered, frowning the four Jedi then left the barn to check the village, Anakin and Ahsoka unclipped their sabers and checked out one of the huts.

"Leo, come with me." Obi-Wan ordered, Leo nodded "Yes Master."

Obi-Wan and Leo started to look through some abandoned homes when they found nothing they quickly left "You worry Master Krell doesn't care for you as a Padawan?" Obi-Wan asked him.

"I never said that." Leo suddenly snapped.

"No need to, it was written over your face when we left the Temple." Obi-Wan said smugly, Leo sighed knowing he couldn't hide his emotions that easily.

Leo then spoke "The way everyone talks about Master Krell about how he's a great warrior makes me think I'm blessed to have him as a Masters, but the way he talks I feel like such a burden on him."

"It is the duty of the Masters to train the next generation, but this is different for Pong as you are his first and only Padawan."

"I- I am?" Leo asked him "Of course, didn't he ever tell you?" Obi-Wan asked him his turn to be confused, Leo shook his head.

Obi-Wan calmed himself "Anakin was my first padawan, though I was not the Master who was going to train him I took the duty serious and I'm sure Pong does too, he may not show it though."

"Did you know Master Krell, when you were my age?" Leo asked him "Indeed, he was much like you, dedicated to the order, brave in combat and a bit more prideful though."

Across from them Anakin and Ahsoka searched the small upper room when Anakin noticed a trap door, lowering to one knee he signalled them to be quiet before using the Force to open it. Inside there were two scared Felucian farmers with a child they were shielding from view fearful of what the two strangers might do. "Mystery solved." Anakin said.

Ahsoka knelt down "They're terrified, It's okay, we won't hurt you." she assured with a kind smile before the sound of blasters were cocked.

"Kindly drop your weapons, Jedi." a Zabrak female ordered appearing from out of nowhere it seemed, pointing her rifle at Anakin as he stood up and faced her with her came a Frenk woman pointed her rifle at the back of Ahsoka's head wearing a hooded hunters vestments, while a Kyuzo male stood beside the Knight with his rifle casually slung over his shoulder wearing brown and orange tunics with a metal shield hat on his head and an armoured humanoid being stood between him and the Zabrak maybe a droid.

Neither jedi moved when their ambushes walked in "Take it easy, Snips." Anakin said, trying to keep her from doing anything rash.

"We don't want any trouble." he said to the Zabrak woman, whe Kyuzo said something in his language that Ahsoka couldn't understand but Anakin did.

"It's not always about the numbers." Anakin replied "Four on one is hardly a fair fight, even for a Jedi." the Frenk woman hissed, keeping her blaster pointed at Ahsoka's head.

"Wait a minute four on one, you mean four on three." Ahsoka corrected with a smirk while standing up. The armoured man or droid took a few steps towards the padawans. "We don't count you, knee-high."

Also suddenly a lightsaber was activated behind the mercenaries and Obi-Wan followed by Leo walked up beside the Zabrak while looking at the armoured man. "Do you count me?" he asked with a smirk.

The man faced him and activated a saw on his arm before the other three Jedi activated their sabers, ready to attack. "Stop! Don't harm them!" A Felucian man said running up to the bounty hunters, walking into the home and standing between the Zabrak and Obi-Wan. "Can't you see these are Jedi, we are saved!" he declared to them happily.

"Saved?" Ahsoka asked in a confused tone. "Need I remind you Casiss you already made a deal with us." The Zabrak said to him while lowering her weapon from Anakin.

The man who could only be the village elder named Casiss spoke "But with the Jedi's help-" he started before Ahsoka cut him off, "Excuse me, but help you with what?" she asked him, he lowered Zabrak's blaster with his hand and replied, "Pirates."

The Jedi lowered their weapons hearing it "Pirates what Pirates?" Leo asked.

"More on that later, for now eat rest and we will tell you why we so desperately need your help." the village elder said before he started shouting orders to other villagers coming out of there homes to see what all the commotion was about and since they weren't fighting they assumed it was safe.

The bounty hunters holstered their weapons "I believe introductions are in order Jedi?" the zabrak and apparent leader of the hunters said.

"I'm Captain Sugi, this is Embo, that sharpshooters is Frenk and our big metal friend here is named Seripas." The Zabrak named Sugi suit said introducing everyone, the Kyuzo was Embo, Rumi was the Frenk and the armoured one was Seripas.

Obi-Wan and the others edi clipped their lightsabers to there belts before Obi-Wan introduced "I am General Obi-Wan Kenobi, my companions are General Anakin Skywalker Jedi Knight and his Padawan Ahsoka Tano, this young man is Padawan Leo Rock." he said as Sugi looked at him eyeing the boy.

"Good now that we haven't killed each other we can let the elder get back and tell you why you should kill us." Sugi said.

By the time the rest of the villagers were notified there was currently no danger and they were now having something to eat at night had fallen. "Simply stated, if we don't give the pirates a portion of our crop, they will destroy our homes with us in them." Casiss said as he, Obi-Wan, the two padawans and the bounty hunters, minus the armoured one were sitting at the table while Anakin leaned against the wall and the armoured man stood at the corner of the table.

"I see your dilemma." Obi-Wan said a moment after Casiss finished.

"Sillum farming is a meagre trade without our herbs to trade we will have no money for food, fuel or equipment." the Felucian explained further.

Obi-Wan looked over at the bounty hunters "And yet you can afford to pay mercenaries." Obi-Wan pointed out.

"These bounty hunters drive a far more reasonable bargain than the pirates." Casiss said before Anakin interjected "Why not just fight them yourselves?" Anakin suggested with a smirk.

Casiss turned his attention to him "Easy for you perhaps," the Felucian started, pointing at him before gesturing to the other Felucians. "But look at us we are farmers, not warriors even with the bounty hunters' help, I had feared the worst now that there are eight of you." he finished

Sugi looked at Obi-Wan. "What do you want, Jedi?" she asked him.

"We need a ship. Ours is beyond repair I'm afraid." he answered giving Anakin a glare that Anakin tried to ignore but appeared to blush with embarrassment at the shameful piloting he'd done. "The one in the barn that'll do." Anakin said, looking at her.

Sugi only smiled, shaking her head "That's our ride, it doesn't go anywhere without us and right now we're busy." she replied without looking at him then Obi-Wan leaned forward on the table a bit. "Busy extorting farmers?" he accused.

"I don't hear you offering to help." she countered, Leo looked over at Ahsoka showing he agreed with the bounty hunter. Obi-Wan leaned back in his seat before turning his attention back to Casiss. "Unfortunately we couldn't help even if we wanted to." he said.

"What?" Ahsoka asked in disbelief "I agree, we should do something." Leo said looking at Casiss.

Seeing the two padawans object to Obi-Wans plan made him stand up "Please excuse us." The four Jedi exited the house in order to discuss what to do next. Ahsoka had her back towards the others and Obi-Wan had his hands clasped behind his back, outside a small pale green fire was burning to light the area around the Elders house.

"Master these farmers are in trouble, why can't we help them?" she asked before turning around to face them.

"Believe me Ahsoka, Leo, I would like nothing more however we need to report that the medical station has been destroyed if we stay too long the Separatists will show up looking for us here." he explained to the padawans.

Ahsoka started to protest "But-" "Better they get robbed by pirates than attract the interest of General Grievous and his horde." he rationalized when suddenly a Felucian child started yelling as he ran towards them.

"Pirates! Pirates! Pirates! The pirates are back!" the kid screamed, running past them and into the house as the bounty hunters along with Casiss exited it and walked up to Jedi before they all turned their attention to a band of approaching speeder bikes.

Five pirate bikes stopped in front of the small campfire between them and the others, they were all weequay, holding blasters and other weapons leaning out on heavily modified speeders. Captain Sugi walked out ahead of the Jedi even past Kenobi "That's far enough I speak for the people of this village." Sugi announced as the pirates turned off their bikes.

Sugi continued, "State your name and business." she demanded as one pirate in the front jabbed his daggered pike towards them threateningly. "My name is my own business and my business is taking what's ours!" he snarled.

"There is nothing here that's yours! Unless you're here to buy it." she replied reaching for her pistol holstered on herb ack "Buy it?" a voice asked rhetorically before chuckling as he got off his speeder and took a few steps forward with a Kowakian monkey-lizard following beside him, Anakin and Obi-Wan tensed up as approaching them from the other side of bikes emerging like a demon from shadow was a tall weequay man wearing a bright red coat, with armor on the shoulders a metal at over his leathery head with goggles around his eyes, someone the two Jedi recognized.

"Kenobi, Skywalker; I can't believe you came all this way to see me." he said with a smirk as the monkey-lizard perched itself on his shoulder, the two aforementioned men looked at one another and spoke the same name: "Hondo." Four of his gang got off their speeders and stood beside him as he clasped his hands behind him.

Sugi turned her head to face the two. "You know each other?" she asked Obi-Wan. "Of course we do tell them how far back we go, Kenobi." Hondo said as he walked up to him smiling all friendly like.

"Too far, I'm afraid." the Master replied as Hondo laughed.

"And here I thought we were friends." he said, still smirking as he placed a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder.

The Master shrugged it off before speaking, "If you're truly interested in friendship, Hondo might I suggest you stop threatening these farmers." Obi-Wan suggested gesturing to the farmers around them all hiding in fear behind crates and in their homes.

"Threatening them?" he asked in mock disbelief before throwing his hands up dramatically and taking a few steps away, "Oh please tell me you have not been listening to this bounty hunting scum?" he asked, pretending to sound shocked and a bit insulted..

"Scum?" Sugi asked rhetorically as she clasped her hands behind her walking accusingly towards Hondo "We're just here to help them protect what's theirs." she defended, looking at a farmer and their child standing in front of the window to a house.

Hondo just waved his and dismissively as if this were some annoying appointment he wanted to finish "Oh, come come, my dear. How much are they paying you?" he asked with the smirk back in place as he turned to face her but before she could even reply, he held his hand up as he walked up to her smirking his fangs. "Does not matter whatever it is, I will double it and all you have to do to earn it is uh, step aside." he offered, gesturing with his hand and smirking again.

"We. Don't. Break. Deals." she growled, pushing him a step back to get her point across, Hondo's smirk vanished and his gang aimed their blasters at them.

Captain Sugi crew readied theirs as well when a peacekeeper was needed most "Steady everyone." Obi-Wan said holding a hand towards each group, trying to defuse the situation.

Hondo looked at him curiously "What is your stake anyway, Kenobi?" he asked. "All we want is a ride to the nearest Republic outpost and I'm willing to pay you handsomely for it. twice what you could make selling this crop." the Master offered.

It seemed to pique Hondo's interest as his smirk returned, "Well, now. How do you plan to pay me?" he asked.

"A funds transfer when we arrive." Obi-Wan replied but that seemed to douse the flame of any bargain being struck between them.

"Republic credit?" The Weequay gang lord asked rhetorically before taking a few steps towards his crew and tutting, "We've been over this before, Kenobi my associates don't accept that currency."

Obi-Wan took a few steps towards him. "I'm offering a deal that benefits us all, Hondo don't let your greed blind you to that fact." he warned as Hondo fed his pet before turning his head to look at Obi-Wan. "You know, I like you Kenobi. But, um no one leaves this planet until I get my sillum." he said in a low voice.

Sugi spoke up reminding the two men she was in charge "Then I hope you enjoy it here because you'll be staying a long time, parasite!" Sugi insulted. One of his gang members glared at her snickering Hondo took a few steps forward as he spoke,

"You know this crop has not been harvested." He said before he walked over to Casiss before continuing, "You better hurry, old man before things start to, uh- Die on you." he warned ominously.

Leo stepped forward with his lightsaber in hand "Back-off." he growled.

Hondo glanced over at him and something that happened to Captain Honod which rarely ever happened, he was surprised rising slowly Hondo looked over at Kenobi and in a very low voice he said "This just got more interesting Kenobi?" he said smiling at the Jedi Master.

"We'll be back soon for our Sillum." Hondo and his gang then got back on their speeder bikes and took off back the way they came.

"What was that all about?" Ahsoka asked "He looked at you as if he knew Leo?"

Sugi sheathed her blaster "He is the Berserker right?"

Leo winced hearing the name "The Berserker?" Frenk asked "That's right that little boy over there slayed over one hundred Geonosian Warriors by himself." Sugi said walking back into Casiss house "Now come on we need a plan."

"I agree." Obi-Wan said as the group followed her back into the homestead along with the others, but Leo hung back looking out on the horizon he saw the distant shape of Hondo on his speeders like looking back at him before he rode off.

When he went inside with the others they already brought up a holomap of the village, Anakin, Seripas and Embo remained standing while the others sat at a small round table with the map on it.

Obi-Wan explained the plan, "When the attack comes it will come from two fronts. The forest to the south," he gestured with his hand towards the village entrance, "and the ridge to the north." he gestured to the rock area with a wide split in the middle,

"Whatever you do, you must defend both sides."

"But there are only four of them, how can four bounty hunters defend against so many?" a male Felucian named Dilanni asked worriedly.

Embo said something in his native language "The farmers are right these bounty hunters don't stand a chance." Anakin said in a low voice to his Master.

"We've been over this, Anakin." Obi-Wan said matching his volume.

"You seem to lack confidence in our abilities, young Jedi." Sugi said to the Knight.

"I'm sure your good at what you do, but you're way too deep." he replied evenly.

Sugi only smiled at him "Says the peacekeeper who fails to keep the peace." she quipped back with a smirk "The rift in the galaxy is not our fault if more worlds would stand up for themselves against the Separatists this war would've been over long ago." Obi-Wan defended, behind him Leo looked away remembering what he said about Geonosis and how they defend their homes from them.

"That's it we'll just train the villagers to defend themselves." Anakin suggested smiling with at winkle in his eye.

"But we are just simple farmers why are we paying bounty hunters to defend us if we are just going to end up doing it ourselves?" Dilanni questioned.

"Hush Dilanni." Casiss told him gently but Dilanni stormed out "Trust me we'll have you ready for now we should all get some rest we'll be up early." Anakin assured with a smile.

Everyone started to file out and Leo got out quicker then other walking away from everyone to be alone, "Leo?" Ahsoka asked seeing him go "Let me talk to him." Obi-Wan stopped her from going after her friend.

Leo walked out over the nearby fields looking at them closing his arms around himself "Speak your mind Leo."

The boy turned around so caught up in his own thoughts he didn't see Obi-Wan come up behind him "It's better I don't." Leo said.

"If you don't how will you know if the thoughts are good or bad?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Leo took a deep breath "What you said back there, if more people stood up to the Separatists… what about those standing up to us?"

"You mean the Separatists?" Kenobi asked "Yes Master, why are we fighting them?" he asked.

"A complex question with an even more complicated answer, but I will do my best to answer, sit." Obi-Wan said.

Obi-Wan Knelt as Leo crossed his legs instead "Anakin told me of your opinion during the second battle of Geonosis, that we invaded a planet again and how you believed the Geonosians had a right to defend their home."

"Like these farmers?" Leo asked, Obi-Wan patiently nodded "I know how they seem similar, but please try to understand the Geonosians were small players in a larger game. Over the years we Jedi became stretched thin across the Galaxy, the Outer Rim worlds like these became susceptible to pirates like Hondos." Obi-Wan said while the boy listened to him.

"As jedi we did our best to keep the peace in the chaos, but where there is chaos there's opportunity my boy. Count Dooku left the Order and Republic as you know but do you know why?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Leo shook his head "Originally he made claims that the Republic was corrupt and that we as Jedi cared more for politics."

"Do we?" Leo asked him "I'm afraid I can't speak for the entirety of the Order only what I believe and hope you take what you can from it, as a Jedi more of as a man I am loyal to the Republic, to democracy and thoughts we may not always like it democracy takes time it is a slow process but a peaceful one."

"So the Separatists are tired of talking?" Leo asked him "When democracy fails, people will seek war as it is the most direct path to change and the most violent."

Leo thought about what he said "So as Jedi, we are fighting to end the fighting?" he asked.

"In a lame mans term yes, but that is the duty of a peacekeeper to seek out conflict and end it." Obi-Wan said "When I was still a padawan, my Master Qui-Gon Jinn and I went to Naboo to stop the trade federation from blockading the planet, I assume you're familiar with the story" Obi-Wan asked.

Leo nodded "I fear that was the first sign the galaxy was on the road to war, years later before the war began Count Dooku manipulated the galactic corporations into supporting the creation of the Separatists who wanted to break away from the Republic, as we had no army and the Separatists were easily swayed into thinking they could break away peacefully."

"Only we had the clones…?" Leo said "Indeed, another jedi close to Dooku foresaw his plan and made sure the Republic was ready." Obi-Wan said.

Leo didn't say anything after that he only looked at the dirt he was sitting on "Does that answer your question?"

"I think so, as Jedi it's our duty to protect the Republic and democracy but shouldn't we also protect the lives of these farmers and… and the Genosians?" Leo asked.

"We should, perhaps one day when cooler heads prevail this war will end but that is later, right now we must focus our efforts on the time that is present." Leo nodded at Obi-Wan's wise words "Thank you master."

Kenobi stood up followed by Leo, "Come we must prepare for tomorrow, Hondo may be a pirate but he's a dangerous one did you know he once captured Anakin, myself and Count Dooku all at once."

Leo's eyes got wide hearing the tale "R-really?" Leo asked as Obi-Wan chuckled "Indeed."

The next morning the Jedi and bounty hunters started to get the villagers ready for Hondo's attack, they had begun to farm the fields and put them into neatly stacked cubes as Sugi directed the farmers into the barn. "Put it in the barn, every bushel." Sugi told a farmer hauling sillum, some of the farmers harvested the crop and put it in the barn while the rest formed up in front of Anakin.

"Alright everyone, form up." he called out. The farmers remained huddled up not knowing what he meant.

The Knight sighed seeing it would be a struggle "Divide into rows of five." he simplified. Some of the villagers did so while the rest didn't.

Anakin looked at the ground and shook his head. "I told you, we are not soldiers we don't even have weapons!" Dilanni reminded him Anakin walked up to one of the farmers. "May I?" he asked, holding his hand out. The farmer looked confused before handing him the staff. Anakin took a few steps back and inspected it, he tossed it between his hands before placing the bottom end on the groundm, then started twirling it around him before placing the end back on the ground.

"Yep, these'll do." the Knight said.

Back with Sugi, Obi-Wan and Leo were beside her watching the farmers fill up the barn "What happens if you need the farm as a fall back position?" Obi-Wan asked Sugi as Leo followed behind him.

"With all the sillum here it'll be difficult to squeeze the farmers in?" He told Sugi who had one hand on her belt.

"There's room." Sugi said, directing the farmers.

Obi-Wan scowled at her "I think you care more for the sillum than the farmers?"

"You think I care more for my profit than them?" She asked him, smiling "The thought had crossed my mind?" He smirked.

Sugi ignored his accusations easily "So in your mind, I'm just like any other pirate."

"Am I wrong?" He asked.

"Not entirely, but it is easier to protect the Sillum and the farmers if there in the same place." She retorted looking over her shoulder.

Ever the tactician Obi-Wan spoke "Than may I suggest-" "You might suggest anything you like General Kenobi, but I know what I'm doing and I will keep these people safe. My way." She said before Sugi walked off leaving the two Jedi to stand there speechless.

"Interesting woman?" Leo said up to him "Indeed, you'll find you meet a lot of interesting people as a Jedi Leo, now go see if anyone else needs help."

Leo bowed "Yes Master." He said before making his way into the village, he noticed Casiss was watching Anakin train the farmers he too was holding a staff but wasn't training.

"Elder?" He asked as the man turned around "Ah, young Jedi how may I be of service?" He asked.

"N-no I meant… Well I just wanted to say we'll do everything we can to protect your village." Leo reassured him.

The elder nodded "Thank you young one, but it was not always like this there was a time when Pirates came to our village not as enemies but as friends?"

"Really?" Leo asked crossing his arms in disbelief as Casiss nodded sadly "A time when honor meant more than greed, I remember it well the Republic and Jedi couldn't always be here to help so when pirates came with stolen goods we happily traded and paid for them but then… a young and ambitious Captain wanted more, more money, more power and so the pirates made them there King."

Leo's eyes got wide and he resisted the urge to laugh "A pirate… king?" He asked.

"At first they were generous, my people wanted for nothing food, medicine, equipment as good as those in the core and then it all ended, the Captains who had honored the old ways were gone and pirates like this Hondo now rule the stars while you fight your war." Casiss said sitting down.

Elsewhere Ahsoka was teaching a group of younglings how to use a slingshot. He looked over to see Seripas cutting a large fungus down, only for it to fall towards the armored droid. The armoured bounty hunter grabbed it and started to struggle under its weight. Ahsoka noticed this. "Seripas! It's too heavy!" she warned before running over to him and tackling him out of the way.

Once the fungus hit the ground, "Seripas?" she asked worriedly as his armoured head opened up and a small alien head popped out.

"D-Don't look! I'm having a suit malfunction." he said quickly before ducking back into the suit. The armor sat up. Ahsoka gave him a small teasing smirk.

Seripas gave a dejected sigh. "Not very intimidating am I?" he asked.

Ahsoka kneeled in front of him. "You don't have to look tough to be tough." she reassured with a smile, Seripas gave a grateful smile and stood his suit back up before locking the headpiece back into place. "I thank you for your help." he said, back in his mechanical voice before continuing what he was doing.

Later Ahsoka went back to training her group while Anakin was having trouble training the farmers when one accident threw his staff at Anakin, he dodged only for Embo to catch it and say something insulting before throwing it back to the farmer.

Dilanni threw his staff to the ground then. "The bounty hunters are right wvery minute you waste teaching us to twirl stupid poles, is time you could've spent beating those pirates yourself." he complained, kicking the staff as Sugi and Obi-Wan joined them.

"And what good would that do you, another band of brigands would inevitably come along or do you intend to give away part of your crop every harvest season?" Obi-Wan asked him, folding his arms. "If you make us do this, there won't be another harvest season!" Dilanni exclaimed before storming off.

Leo watched him go remembering his battle meditation and how it changed the tide of the battle on Geonosis.

"Alright everyone, get back in position let's continue." Anakin said, trying to get the group focused back on training.

Leo looked at Obi-Wan "M… Master, can I speak with you?" Leo asked him.

"Of course." Obi-Wan and Leo walked a distance away from everyone "What is it?"

"Have you… have you ever encountered a jedi with battle meditation?" Leo asked him.

Obi-Wan stroked his beard curious "No, that ability has not been seen within the Jedi for nigh a millennia, but it would help us why?" He asked.

Leo gulped "Padawan?" Kenobi asked him.

"Master Krell, he told me not to say… he believes I have that ability and how it explains how I'm able to fight so hard." Leo blurted out quickly, at first Obi-Wan stared at him speechless.

Then scratched his beard thinking as he usually did "Interesting?"

"If it is true, that would mean you would have to meditate away from the coming battle?" He said to Leo who was now confused "But, I'm able to use it in combat?"

"That's the issue, when a Jedi uses battle meditation while fighting, they dance incredibly close to the dark side, the conflict fuels anger and bloodlust that would send all those around you into a frenzy." Obi-Wan said as Leo remembered the clone who had attacked him and nearly killed the surrendered Geonosian.

Obi-Wan saw the anxiety Leo was having "Has Master Krell not told you of this danger?" Obi-Wan asked him, Leo shook his head "He told me to use it while I fought?" Leo said.

Kenobi looked at the boy "... when the battle begins, hide yourself in the bar."

"What?" Leo almost yelled "But Master, I should be fighting you'll need me?"

"If we do I'll signal you, but if your battle meditation is what you say it is we won't need it." Obi-Wan said walking away leaving Leo to obey.

An hour later his training seemed to have started paying off, as the group was now working in almost perfect sync. Obi-Wan walked between two rows and gently took the staff from one of the farmers before correcting with a small demonstration. Sugi watched them as the cliff overlooked the village, a pirate scout was overlooking the village.

"Fixing for a fight are we?" The pirate asked.

Just then his binoculars caught a glint of the sun, she looked up at the small cliff behind them and her eyes widened. "There! A scout!" she exclaimed, pointing at the cliff.

The others turned their heads to where she was pointing as a figure started to flee. "Embo!" she ordered.

The bounty hunter immediately took off in the scouts' direction, the four Jedi plus Sugi caught up to him just as he dropped the dead scout. "Quick work." Anakin complimented Embo turned to face them and said something in his language.

"Yes, but when this scout fails to report to Hondo he'll be coming, soon." Obi-Wan warned, once they made it back to the village it was time to start getting ready. Most of the villagers started getting ready to defend the village while the others ran to the safety of their homes. Leo made his way to the energy fence with his master and Sugi, as Anakin and Embo met them there.

"The farmers are in position, the ones who stuck around anyway." the Knight informed. "Very well, Anakin turn on the fence." Obi-Wan said as he looked over at Leo who ran towards the barn.

Anakin noticed "Wait where's Leo going?" Anakin asked "Don't worry, I have a plan."

Anakin did so and it surrounded most of the village, with only the Jedi, bounty hunters and participating farmers on the outside of it, suddenly the seven warriors spotted the pirates all mounted on their speeder bikes at the top of the hill which led into the villagers valley.

"Battle positions, everyone!" Sugi called out Anakin ignited his saber as the pirates zoomed into the village.

Sugi and Embo ran towards them, with her starting to shoot them Embo kicked the shooter off one and hitched a ride on it. Up in the barn, Leo looked out the window to see the battle had started, taking a deep breath he sat down and rested his heart thinking of his battle meditation.

Taking a deep breath he started to focus, drawing on the force within him and the thing that drove his battle meditation. The one thing he held onto every time he fought not the fear of death, not the desire to fight for a cause something else entirely which only he knew.

Outside the pirates were coming in and out of the village on their bikes, Ahsoka was deflecting shots past the retreating farmers as Seripas turned his saw on and the one farmer beside them readied it's slingshot. Two more of the farmers were in harvesters and one on the cliff signalled them. Ahsoka deflected a few bolts as she and the other three retreated when the two harvesters brought down two large fungus, causing the pirates to crash into them and explode.

Seripas turned his attention to the only pirate that managed to get out of the way in time as the two traded blasts. His armor eventually took too much damage, luckily he managed to get out in time and land on the pirates' head. The padawan and one farmer caught up to him as they noticed the pirate laying on the ground and the bounty hunter dropped onto the ground after letting go of one of the handlebars. The three smiled at his way of dealing with the pirate.

Obi-Wan and Sugi were holding their own against the swoop bikes using his lightsaber to deflect the shots when a pair of pirates on one bike, Leo's battle mediation started to affect the pirates making them lose aim when they could have shot Sugi. Came at them, Obi-Wan used the force to throw them off the bike and into one of the electrical fences. Some of the villagers were even getting affected by the pirates' ground forces, the farmers charged with pitchforks against their blasters using their training to overwhelm them.

Leo could feel the battle starting to turn, the farmers were falling back when suddenly a tank blast knocked Embo away and snapped Leo out of his meditation. "Embo!" Anakin called out in worry when the bounty hunter rolled a bit after hitting the ground. The others rushed over to him. Hondo was on the cliff side in a ground tank wreaking havoc on the village.

"Embo you'll be alright, we'll get you inside." Sugi said showing she cared for her men "Everyone, fall back to the barn, Leo get ready to help us!" Obi-Wan ordered as.

"That tank is going to tear the villagers apart." Sugi said in worry as she helped Embo stand and get to the barn.

Leo came down from the upstairs and ran out just as Sugi spoke, "Ahsoka get the villagers inside, Leo runs around the village trying to out flank Hondo I'll take him head on." Anakin said

Hondo started taking shots towards the Jedi who were running straight for them, Leo was already obeying Anakin's orders running to the back of the village and starting to run through the woods as Anakin used the force to propel himself up onto the cliff. "Die Jedi scum!" The pirate yelled as Anakin quickly dodged the canon fire and jumped onto the tank.

When Anakin confronted him, the pirate leader activated his electrostaff and brought one of it's ends down. Anakin Dodged the swipe before pushing the Weequay back a few feet. Hondo stepped back up to him quickly, Anakin blocked two slashes and jumped over a third one. The tank's cannon suddenly moved and blasted the barns' roof, he snarled at Ohnaka before stabbing his saber through the small opening. After hearing a startled cry he quickly brought his saber up to block more slashes. The two kept blocking each other's attacks when the cannon fired that the whole tank started to swivel, both focused on keeping their balance Hondo raised his foot up and attempted to push the Anakin into the tank, luckily he managed to grab onto the sides. Hondo advanced on him but the Knight placed his foot on the middle of the staff and pushed the pirate back. Anakin gripped the sides to flip himself backward and onto his feet as Ohnaka brought one of the staff ends down. The padawan suddenly felt pain in his leg, looking down he saw Hondo's pet monkey-lizard biting him.

Leo was almost there and could see Anakin was starting to struggle as the tank started to fire wildly, when he looked at Hondo he couldn't get the look the Captain had given him.

Hondo looked at it as it flew past him before turning his attention back to his opponent, Anakin ducked a slash before backflipping off the tank and onto the cliff. "Your situation is hopeless Skywalker" the pirate laughed as Ohnaka smirked at him as his pet jumped onto Anakin face, who cried out in surprise. The creature quickly crawled onto his leg and started biting it again when he attempted to get it off his face. The Knight quickly reached down and grabbed it by the neck before tossing it into the air as he attempted to slash it as it came back down, Hondo blocked his blade before using his foot to push him back.

Anakin wasn't able to recover quickly to attack but was able to grab the pirates' staff with his free hand and push back with his saber hilt, he immediately realized something and smirked at the gang lord. When Hondo stabbed at him again, Anakin ducked and rolled out of the way, causing the pirate to lose his balance and tumble forward before sliding over the edge of the cliff. Hondo managed to grab the edge and was now dangling off it as Anakin walked up to him glaring.

Down below the pirates saw Hondo hanging on for dear life "The Captain!" One pirate said before they started to fallback.

"Help me!" the pirate begged, the padawan only glared at him.

"Skywalker, let's call off my men." Ohnaka tried again, holding his hand out for help, Leo came up just as Anakin turned off his lightsaber and took the pirates' hand. Hondo suddenly shoved him back after letting go of his hand before getting out of the way. Anakin turned his head in time to see the cannon shoot at him, he backflipped just as the blast hit the ground and crouched as he landed below the cliff.

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan ran up with Sugi and two Felucians ran up to him as he stood before they all looked up at Hondo standing on the cliffs' edge as Leo hid behind one of the bubble trees. As he saw a massive weequay saucer heading toward them the pirates ship. Hondo walked up to the edge and looked down at the villagers who'd defeated him with the hunters and jedi help.

"This effort is no longer profitable!" Hondo called down over the wind as his saucer appeared behind him before he turned around to see Leo cutting off his exit.

Leo held up his lightsaber drawn to him "How do you know?!" Leo asked over the winds kicked up by the saucers, Hondo saw one of his pirates on a ramp with a blaster pointed at Leo's back but Hondo raised his hand.

"I don't know you but I know who you are." Hondo told him "People keep telling me they know what I am, but I already know I'm a jedi!" Leo barked at him.

Hondo let out a gigantic laugh "Is that what the Jedi told you, why don't you ask them then huh boyo?" Hondo asked him walking up to the boy "Ask them what?"

"I don't see why, they won't tell you anyway but I will." Hondo said reaching behind his back bowing holding out his hand

Leo lowered his lightsaber "Tell me what?"

"That I, the illustrious Captain Hondo Ohnaka… knew your parents." Hondo said, Leo's entire guard dropped "My father?" Hondo ripped out a blaster pistol and pointed it right at Leo and squeezed the trigger at point blank range, Leo managed to get out of the way just in time for it to his shoulder "AAH!" Leo yelled, hitting the dirt.

Hondo laughed maniacally dropping the blaster and walking to his ship "Next time we meet, I'll tell you about him." Hondo said before he boarded his ship.

Leo laid there in the dirt watching the ship fly away having failed to capture Hondo, he got up and shook his head before returning to the village. A while later the Jedi and the bounty hunters, without Rumi who had unfortunately perished from one of Hondo's cannon blasts. - were now standing in front of the barn as Casiss spoke to most of the villagers who fought.

"There are crops to harvest fields to till, hearts to rebuild now let's get to work." As the villagers left he turned around to the Jedi and bounty hunters.

"How can I ever thank you for saving our village?" he asked humbly. "We didn't save your village, Casiss your people did." Anakin said with a kind smirk.

"For the first time in my memory, my people don't need to be afraid we will never forget you." he promised with a grateful bow before walking off to help the villagers.

Sugi stepped in front of the two older Jedi with a soft smile on her face. "I seem to find myself light on company, still need that ride back to the republic outpost?" she asked them.

"If it wouldn't be any inconvenience?" Obi-Wan asked with a lighthearted smirk.

"On the contrary, it would be my pleasure." she replied and gestured towards the ship, the group then made their way onto it. Beside the ship, Leo was having his arm put into a sling by Ahsoka "So do you collect scars, cause this is knew one right?" She asked him, but Leo didn't say anything; he just remembered what Hondo said.

When she was finished "Let's just go home, we have a war to fight." He said following them onto the ship.

After they got up onto the ship Obi-Wan saw something was bothering Leo "You did well today Leo, I believe your theory of your Battle Meditation was correct?"

"Battle Meditation?" Anakin asked "Yes it appears Leo has been keeping secrets from us?" Obi-Wan said playfully in jest.

"Jedi know everything about keeping secrets, don't they master?" Leo said looking at him "Pardon?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Leo smiled then "Just a joke master, it's all just a joke." He said as they took off back to the Republic.

_HONDO'S SHIP_

Hondo walked into his ship's private quarters letting his pet swing up onto a small apartment in the corner. Hondo sat down on a fine bed and pulled a bottle out from under his pillow and turned on his holocommunicator as he took a drink.

"Hello, old friend I must say I wouldn't be calling you considering everyone we know wants you dead?" Hondo said as he took a sip of his bottle.

"But I ran into someone verrrry interesting and I need to tell you about it." Hondo said, smiling up "For a price."

**I think we may go into a few episodes of Season three and end it before Heroes on Both Sides. **


	23. The Tragedy of Pong Krell

**So this takes place during R2 Come Home**

**Chapter 23**

**The Tragedy of Pong Krell**

_JEDI TEMPLE _

Leo and Ahsoka were eating breakfast in the temple cafeterium early in the morning when the hall was filled with jedi learners and elders alike. "Alright my turn, Master Vos or Master Di?" Leo asked her.

She stabbed at her food with her fork "Ugh tough choice, I'm going to go with Vos he may be a bit eccentric but I think that would take Di by surprise."

Leo nodded "Fair enough."

"Alright your turn?" Leo said as he sipped his cup of blue milk "Okay, two lightsabers or double bladed?" she asked him.

The boy gave her a finicky look "Are you asking me if I think you should start to use two lightsabers or a double bladed one?"

"This is who's better isn't it?" she asked him stating the title of the game "Hmmm I don't know, Master Pong uses two double bladed lightsabers?"

"Hard to miss, but he has four arms?" she stated "So what if General Grievous used four?" Leo asked.

Ahsoka didn't pay it much mind. "Then he wouldn't be able to do that spinning fan thing he does." She said, rolling her wrists to mimic Grievous and gave a frightening face as Leo drank some more milk before he spat it out through his nose. Ahsoka dropped her fork laughing as Leo couldn't help but laugh at himself for making such a mess before he started to clean it up.

Meanwhile, on a large staircase overlooking the cafeterium, Obi-wan and Plo Koon kept a vigil with Master Sinube. "Did my report from Felucia enlighten anything Master Plo?" Obi-Wan asked him.

"Yes, as did our discussion with Master Krell." Plo said looking at Ahsoka and Leo.

"If I may be so bold my old friend, this investigation you've undertaken into Pongs Padawan wouldn't have anything to do with Ahsoka?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Plo avoided the question at first but turned his masked head to Obi-Wan so he saw that the kel dor was serious "In part, she is an overall positive influence on him the same way you or Skywalker are."

"Tell me more of this pirate you encountered?" Plo asked him "Hondo Ohnaka, he and his pirates are growing more and more troublesome." Obi-Wan said crossing his armored arms "Ohnaka… now that's a name I hadn't heard in a long time?" Master Sinube said scratching his beak.

Which earned the attention of Obi-Wan and Plo "You know of him?"

"In part, when he was still a young quartermaster on another crew, in another time." Sinube said looking at Leo "You say he looked at the boy as if he knew him?" Sinube asked worried.

"It was rather strange, I sensed something stir in Hondo but the man is so unpredictable it's hard to say?" Kenobi said "However during the conflict Leo's battle meditation proved to be invaluable for the farmers to take on battle hardened Pirates." Plo said

"And Pong, hiding Leo's Battle Meditation?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Quite right, however I believe Pong was convinced of his doubt if it even was battle meditation." Sinube said leaning on his cane "Yet he threw the boy into battle after battle which created this mental state the boy seems to be in?" Kenobi said with concern

Plo and Sinube eyed Kenobi with interest now "Say the word and I will put the motion to the Council." Plo said.

"I beg your pardon?" Kenobi asked him "You have long been without a Padawan Master Kenobi, would you care for another?" Sinube asked looking down at Leo.

Back on the cafeterium floor, Leo was cleaned up and a small pile of napkins on his tray "I'm never going to forget that." Ahsoka said, finishing her food.

Just as she did, Leo saw Pong Krell walking in the hallway exit, "Excuse me Ahsoka."

"What- where are you going?" She asked as he abruptly started to leave "Just need to catch up with my Master, I'll see you later." Leo called out running out of the room.

Eventually Leo caught up to Pong who was already a good way ahead of him "Master." Leo said in greeting.

Pong barely acknowledged him "So you've returned no doubt another daring Adventure of Skywalker and Kenobi?" Pong asked.

Leo felt the chiding chill on Pongs every word "Our mission went astray, but my place is here as your Padawan."

"Ah is that so?" Pong asked as Leo had to take long strides just to keep up with the besalisk giant.

Leo didn't say anything about it "When are we returning to the fleet sir?"

"You mean when you are, the Council has asked me to stay here in the confines of the Temple to reflect and meditate away from the war… it sickens me." Pong said in disgust.

Leo looked up at his master who raised his head again "I'm sorry Master, but I'm sure the Council means well."

"Ha do they, squabbling old men thinking the know what's best has always been the enemy of the visionary. they'd rather debate and talk then see action." he proclaimed as they walked on "Master Kenobi told me that when talking stops fighting begins, it's how the war started?"

Pong squeezed his four hands into fists behind his back "Is Kenobi your master now?" Pong said walking out onto one of the corner balconies ot the temple overlooking a blue skied Coruscant skyline, there were pants in the corner with benches beside them.

"... no Master." Leo said.

"Yet you'd rather listen to him, or Skywalker then heed my teachings?" Pong stated.

Leo dropped his hands behind his back shaking his head "No Master."

Pong leaned on the balcony "Do you know your outburst on the medical station after Felucia is what cost my command boy?"

Leo felt a surge of shame run over him remembering "Master, the brain worms I witness what I believed to be the last force essence of the Geonosian Queen I felt her anger and sadness-" "You had a hallucination mixed with dark side magic from that Kyber crystal you kept on you." Pong hissed.

The padawan went ghostly white "You think I'm a fool Padawan?" Pong asked, turning to him.

'But you… you never said anything?" Leo asked him "And if I had, the Council already distrusts you if I turned my back on you what would that make me the way you turned your back on me?" Plo said looking away.

Leo's shame and fear started to turn "My back on you?" Leo asked him.

"You sent me away Master, twice now like you don't even want me as a Padawan?" Leo said his voice rising, Pong turned back around "That was for your own good, before Skywalker took you under his wing you were a shy timid boy, whimpering at my heel and when I thought you in combat you shined my boy like a flame." Pong accused with both insult and praise.

"Now the council questions my methods despite the fruits our labors have brought." Pong said, holding out one hand to him.

Pong shook his head "Damn the Council to think that to combat the dark side we must run away from it in fear, Force forbid I expose a Padawan to it."

Leo looked at the floor curling both fists into anger as he felt it start to overcome him "So you knew while i was fighting I'd draw on the dark side?"

The jedi master glared at the boy "I knew you'd do what was necessary in war, the same as I."

"The second I let you out of my sight I knew the Sith would be drawn to you like a wolf to meat, and every time you have overcome them through your own strength." Pong said.

"But we're Jedi Masters, doesn't that mean we should be better than that?" Leo asked him.

Pong shook his head as his words fell on deaf ears "We are at war boy, we can't afford principles to get in the way of the greater good. '

"Greater good, master on Geonosis I slaughtered them like animals, I'm a murder-" "YOU SAVED YOUR OWN LIFE!" Pong practically screamed at the boy "Then you moaned about it like a beaten animal, if not for your actions we would have been overrun." Leo was silent from his master's outburst but it was more than that, Leo could feel the pain and sorrow in Pong's voice as he paced through the chamber back and forth a mix of emotions seeping out of Pong. This was a side of Pong Leo had never seen before, the great towering besalisk Jedi Master was almost hysterical before he sat down, his massive size on the bench dwarfed the bench he sat on and he had to rest his arms on his large legs as he shook his head.

"We are Jedi yes, but we are Knights and Knights must face danger, evil and sometimes take life to protect it… it wasn't always like this…" Pong said breathing hard.

He kept shaking his head "There was a time when the Council knew what needed to be done, when no one dared to challenge the power of the Jedi nor the majesty of the Republic."

"First the pirates of the Stark Hyperspace War, then the Trade Federation and they all came like scavengers to nibble away at us while the Republic and Jedi stood idly by…" Pong said exasperatedly, then he turned to Leo lookin at him with a sense of longing.

"I would see the days of the High Republic restored, the days when our Order were champions where when a Jedi came to an alien world it was a blessing not a curse… now look at us, prideful decadent relics of a bygone era…" Pong said, shaking his head before he buried one of his four arms palms.

"Master…" Leo reached out for him but Pong raised his hand "No, leave me." Pong ordered.

Leo buckled his lip at the rebuked attempt to console him "By your will Master."

Later, Leo found his way to one of Master Yoda's youngling training courses; he waited outside the door patiently as Master Yoda continued the lesson in its entirety. When it finally needed the padawans rushed out to go play or onto another lesson. Inside the room Master Yoda began to clean up the various training equipment with the force, as he and the kids all left a stray training remote rolled out of the room up to Leo's feet.

He knelt down scooping it up before walking inside to return it "Master Yoda?" Leo asked.

"Greetings young one, of what service can I be?" Master Yoda asked him as Leo fumbled with the training droid in his hand.

"Master, does the Council mistrust me?" Leo asked directly.

Yoda continued to put the training helmets and balls away with the force "Mistrust, no mistrust only concerned with the well being of the Order."

"Then why have you grounded my Master?" Leo asked him, Yoda put the last of the training equipment away before turning around "In this how, are we mistrustful of you Padawan?"

"Because he trained me, I now fear he is being punished for my failures." Leo said, throwing the training remote into a bin for the other metal balls.

Yoda watched him make the shot from the other side of the room "Difficult was your Masters own padawanship, in a time of great turmoil did Pong Krell grow into a Jedi."

"Aren't we in a time of great turmoil Master, shouldn't he and I be out there fighting to end this war?" Leo asked him.

Master Yoda nodded "So eager you are for war?"

Leo felt his words turned against him and quickly retorted "No Master, eager… eager for it to end." Leo said.

Master Yoda saw the lies in his voice "What becomes of us, after the war hmmm?"

"We stay as we are, jedi." Leo said.

But Yoda shook his head "After war, never the same we are."

Leo didn't argue it any further instead he wanted to change the subject but failed to find the words "More you have to say?" Yoda asked him, promoting the boy to look at him and in the training room.

"Master, why was not brought to the temple like the other padawans?" Leo asked him.

"Hmmm?" Master Yoda asked scratching his chin with his claw "I was trained in the outer rim by Master Krell, he was the only Master I've ever known until recently yet all the other padawans I've met were trained here there must be a reason?" Leo asked.

Master Yoda nodded "Reason, yes lie to you I wish not to..."

Leo waited for Master Yoda to continue "Sent Jedi we did into the outer rim, seek out padawans to train away from the Republic, but foresee the war we did not."

"Why away from the Republic?" Leo asked him "A big place the Galaxy is, the need of Jedi many worlds have." Master Yoda said smiling.

"So I was special?" Leo asked him, Master Yoda waved his claw closer to him making Leo kneel so he heard him.

Master Yoda took tiny steps toward him "All special are we, now go speak to the Council I will about you and your Masters return service." Master Yoda said heading to the doorway.

"But I never asked-... thank you master." Leo said rising and slowly following.

After a while, Leo was sitting in the Jedi Archives reading through old files he slowly typed in the name of Pong Krell, his file came up and Leo started to read it intently. "Whatcha doin?"

"GYAH!" Leo nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Ahsoka looking over his shoulder "Ahsoka… please don't scare me like that?" he asked.

She just rolled her eyes again "Relax Rusty, what are you reading?" she asked him.

"Some stuff about my Master, I never knew he served in the Stark Hyperspace War?" Leo asked as he enlarged a picture of various jedi and Sector Security forces in blue uniforms. Ahsoka leaned in recognizing a few of the Jedi, there was Masters Plo Koon and Sinube, then Leo's own Master Pong Krell sitting with three younger jedi, two were brown haired boys with traditional padawan braids and hair cuts, the other was a kiffar boy with yellow stripe across his face the last two were three lder jedi masters one with green robes with gray hair in a ponytail the other a man with flowing brown hair and beard and a large nose, and a Wookiee jedi.

Ahsoka eyed the padawans next to Pong when her eyes got wide "Wait a second zoom in here." she said on one of the brown haired padawans, he had blue eyes and fair skin and Ahsoka's eyes got wide "Thats Master Kenobi?"

"What, no way?" Leo said looking at the younger Obi-Wan "Oh my god that is, he looks so young?"

"I think that has to be Master Vos next to him?" Leo added "Has to be?" she concurred.

Leo started to scroll through different images of and files "What are you hoping to find?" Ahsoka asked him.

"Master Krell and I are… look to General Skywalker talk about himself that much?" Leo asked her "Uh have you met the guy, he talks about how amazing he is all the time?"

"No, like his past?" Leo asked her.

Ahsoka's grin turned to a "oh… no not really."

Leo nodded and pointed back to the screen "When I was training with Master Krell before the war, he only ever talked about training, how I needed to improve to not be such a weakling."

"Leo you aren't weak." she said reaching for him but he got up "But I can be stronger and he knows that."

"I haven't been a very good padawan." Leo said crossing his arms "I mean, Krell may not be a very good Master?" Ahsoka said, trying to rationalize it.

"Who are we to judge, he fought in a real war here." Leo said pointing to the screen "Not really they were just pirates?" she asked Le o walked back to the screen and brought up a file "Look at the death toll."

Ahsoka sat on the desk and looked at the number "... oh."

Leo and her looked at one another "Well… I don't have the answers you're looking for, we should focus on the present. Come on Master Plo is doing a debriefing of our fleet movements." she said getting off the desk.

"Why would we go to that?" Leo asked "Beats sitting around here feeling sorry for yourself." she said, walking off, "True." Leo said before he followed her to the war room.

When they arrrived Leo and Ahsoka were listened to Master Plo's debriefing about a fleet with Masters Aayla, Ki-Adi and Adi Gallia attending as holograms "We shall reinforce or fleet along the Hydian Way." he gestured towards to the holographic ring with some planets alongside it when Artoo suddenly came crashing into the room and fell down the steps.

The Jedi all turned their attention to the droid. "Artoo?" Ahsoka asked in confusion before her and Leo helped him up. After shaking his dome, the astromech rolled up Plo Koon's astrodroid and rammed into it unplugging the droid from the holotable taking away Master Plo's presentation. So that Artoo could use the holotable plugged into the viewer out of the way, immediately the two droids started fighting like a couple of dogs over a bone bashing each other away.

Ahsoka ran up to them and pushed them apart. "Stop it!" she ordered before kneeling in front of Artoo.

"Artoo, what's wrong?" she asked the droid, who beeped frantically in reply.

"Ahsoka, you know this droid?" Plo asked her. "It's Anakin's droid. R2-D2." she answered. "Well then, Artoo deliver the message you so obviously need to communicate." he said to the droid.

Instantly Artoo plugged himself in and a hologram of Anakin trapped under some rubble appeared on the viewer. "I need you to go back to the fighters and call the temple for help, okay?" he asked the droid before coughing. "Okay?" he asked again.

Plo Koon looked at Ahsoka and Leo "Prepare my ship. We shall leave immediately." Plo said to the padawans before they left the room.

"Leo come on." Ahsoka said following Master Plo out of the room but Leo didn't move at first "I… I shouldn't."

"What, Anakins in trouble." Ahsoka urged him confused on why he'd hesitate.

Leo shook his head "He's not my Master."

"But isn't he your friend?" Ahsoka's words rang true in his ears "Your right." he said starting to follow "Of course I am, I'm always right." she said before the two of them started to run after Master Plo and Artoo.

When they caught up to Plo he was walking into the hanger with Artoo beeping frantically "The droid says that Skywalker and Windu went down above Vanqor with luck still alive."

"Master Kenobi says there's no such thing as luck." Ahsoka said getting onboard a gunship helping Leo on "Then pray." Plo said.

_VANQOR_

Later Plo's Star Destroyer came out of hyperspace above Vanqor and the Jedi along with a group of clones, including Commander Wolffe, boarded three gunships and made their way towards a Star Destroyer wreckage descending on from the clouds like angels from above. The gunship the Jedi were in hovered beside the command centre as it was starting to fall off.

"No damage from the outside, no separatists ships, this ship blew up from the inside?" Leo said looking at the damaged cruiser from the gunship.

"Very perceptive, but now we must focus on finding Windu and Skywalker." Plo said keeping them on point.

Ahsoka noticed them first "There! On the bridge, I can see them!" she pointed to the spot. The others noticed them too soon after she pointed it, Anakin Skywalker and Mace Windu were both trapped under the bridge's collapsed roof out "Padawans, hold the ship steady." Plo told them.

All together, the three Jedi reached out with the force to uphold the bridge as it was already a crumbling wreck about to fall over from the damage, the clones shot ascension cables from their blasters to steady the gunship.

"Comet, lets go!" Wolffe ordered his brother as the two jumped onto the Star Destroyer, the clones slung across the ropes into the bridge and quickly started to lift the derby to free the two trapped generals.

"Hurry, Commander Wolffe." Plo urged.

"We're losing it, sir." the clone pilot warned over the com as the bridge shifted and the gunship swerved a bit. The gunship lowered as Wolffe and Comet helped Windu and Skywalker out of the rubble. Skywalker went first before part of the bridge crumbled making the gap wider for Windu and Comet to leap.

"Jump!" Wolffe yelled, both did so and the other clones helped steady them on before they could fall. "Cut the lines!" Plo ordered, Ahsoka and Leo ignited their sabers and cut the ascension cables.

"Go!" Plo ordered the pilot, who managed to move out of the way as the bridge finally collapsed, the other two gunships caught up as the Star Destroyer started to explode.

Soon they landed the gunships quite aways from the Star Destroyer and placed the two injured Jedi on stretchers to be taken to medical. The clones stopped moving them when the other three Jedi walked up to send them off. "Some pretty serious burns, but nothing a night in a bacta tank won't fix." Ahsoka said, giving him a friendly punch on the leg on Anakin.

Anakin took a sharp intake of air and gave her a pained look. "Oh, sorry." she apologized sheepishly. "We were lucky to arrive when we did." Plo pointed out.

"Guess we have Artoo to thank for that." she said smiling at the droid, who gave a happy beep. "Come here, droid." Mace said to him, Artoo rolled over to the Jedi.

"I can see why your master trusts you, little one good job." Mace praised with a small smile.

R2 gave another happy beep before rolling back over to Anakin. "That's definitely more praise than I ever get." Anakin joked before they took him away behind Windu.

The clones then continued taking them to the gunship, as the other three Jedi and droid looked on. Artoo gave another happy beep, "Come let us return to Coruscant." Plo said.

"Master Plo, may I ask you something?" Leo said abruptly.

Plo stopped, "Yes Padawan?"

"You and my Master served during the Stark Hyperspace War, I was hoping you could tell me about it, Master Krell never speaks of it?" he inquired.

Plo looked at Leo behind his masks goggles "For good reason, the Stark Hyperspace war was a needless conflict, one promoted by greed." he said walking on.

"But weren't fighting droids, pirates?" Leo asked him.

"Indeed, Master Krell acquitted himself well in the face of such madness, any man to face such death and destruction and able to preserve is worthy of being a Jedi is that comforting?" Pong asked him.

"Yes Master it is." Leo replied smiling

_CORUSCANT_

_Jedi Temple_

Once the jedi had returned with their wounded the blue sky's of Coruscant had started to fill with dark gray thunder clouds of an oncoming rain. Awaiting their arrival on one of the landing pads was Masters Yoda and Kenobi along with a staff of Jedi healers. As everyone exited the gunship Leo looked at Kenobi with a smiling face but could see something was off.

"Well Anakin you certainly know how to show Master Windu a good time." Obi-Wan jested as they took an asleep Windu away.

"Don't worry Master, nothing will happen to Skyguy while I'm around." Ahsoka said patting Anakin on the shoulder making Anakin hold in a yell of pain, again "Oh sorry, sorry."

"The padawans reacted quickly Master Yoda, without their help we could have lost them both." Master Plo said down to the little green jedi.

Yoda smiled at the two "Padawans, done well you have."

Leo looked around the landing pad half expecting to see Master Krell coming to greet them but saw him nowhere to be found "Masters, may I ask if any of you have seen Master Krell I should be getting back to him.

Yoda and Obi-Wan shot each other looks of dismay when Leo spoke of his master, "What is it?" Leo asked.

"I…" Obi-Wan started to say in a pained voice "Regret to be the bearer of ill tidings Leo, in light of recent events and the will of both the Council and Master Krell, he has requested to go on an extended retreat." Obi-Wan said, Leo's cheerful demeanor started to head south.

"Oh, of course probably for the best." Leo said up to the Masters not questioning their wisdom "I"m afraid… there's more." Obi-Wan said but also showed he wasn't comfortable.

Ahsoka could see the pain in Obi-Wan's as he'd taken upon himself to deliver this news "What is it?" Leo dared to ask as lighting clapped behind them

"Before he departed Master Krell forfeited himself as your Master to the Council." thunder struck in the distance as Leo's eyes got wide, he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.

Both green emeralds in his head looked to the floor "He… doesn't want me as his Padawan anymore?"

"I'm afraid not, the Council will deliberate on who will be the new Master in time." Obi-Wan told him but Leo ignored him and started to walk away back into the temple. Ahsoka quickly started to follow but Master Plo stopped her "Attend to your own Master lil'Soka, we will tend to Leo."

Later, when day was shed and night ahead thunderous rain poured down from the heavens in the outside training grounds of the Jedi Temple.

The masterless Padawan was outside with his lightsaber fighting a training droid, it had two energy sword arms and was attacking Leo relentlessly set on a high level of combat. His white lightsaber lighting up the rain around him the boys clothes were soaked through with rain like his hair as he dueled the training droid. He hacked and slashed on the training swords, yelling as he did before he flipped over the droid and used the force to push it onto the wet stone before he jumped up to stand down on the droid but it moved out of the way and attacked him again.

Leo held his ground locking his one blade against the training droids two, the droid clearly stronger than him pressed the blades closed, each one cutting into Leos arms before he summoned the force and repulsed the droid away and cut it in sparked for a few moments before turning off and Leo let out a furious scream as lighting cracked and thunder roared above his head.

He collapsed to his knees in the rain dropping his lightsaber and looking down at his own reflection, he looked at how pitiful he was and how pathetic and weak Leo Rock was. The shallow pool of rainwater being rippled by raindrops when someone pulled something over his head to stop the rain.

Leo looked down at it and his pity turned to anger, "Graah!" Leo smashed his fist into the water meeting the stone with a loud 'thok' sound, cutting his knuckles before he got up and grabbed his lightsaber.

Taking a stance he turned the lightsaber on and started to practice his form, swinging and lunging moving his feet around to kick up small waves of water. The storm raged around the temple and around him as he picked up speed, memories of Mardun, Geonosis, of all the battles he'd fought started to flash between his eyes as he practiced so hard he was like he was fighting an invisible enemy.

He swung his lightsaber in different directions, the lightning almost on the temple itself when his lightsaber locked against the green ones. "Rusty." Ahsoka said out in the rain, she was wearing a cloak of her own to keep most of herself dry. Her own hood was down showing her raindrop covered face, she could tell from the light of the green and white lightsaber Leo's own face had more than just rain, it also had tears.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked him.

Lowering their lightsabers Leo answered her over the wind "Training, go away."

"No, you need to come inside." Ahsoka told him "Just leave me alone Ahsoka." Leo shouted over the rain.

"I'm sorry about Master Krell. I wish it was different but-" "But it's not, he's gone and abandoned me because I was a terrible Padawan." Leo yelled at her cutting her off over the storm she tried to grab him before he could get any further away from him. Ahsoka was about to say something "Didn't you hear me GO, GO AWAY!" Leo screamed at her holding his hand up and a wave of the force pushed Ahsoka back, Ahsoka was knocked off her feet and tumbled into the wet training ground. Leo didn't even realize what he did when he saw her hit the ground Leo froze petrified in fear as Ahsoka got up "... I'm sorry Leo." She said turning away, "I just wanted to help…" He watched her go inside as the storm drowned and he wanted to follow but his legs were like jelly, he slumped against the training ground tree and dropped to its roots and closed his eyes listening to the storm around him.

**Lethal Trackdown is next, any ideas who Leo's next Master should be?**


	24. Lethal Trackdown

**Chapter 24**

**Lethal Trackdown**

_JEDI TEMPLE_

_Medical Suite_

Anakin and Mace Windu were not resting and recovering in the Temple's medical suite, the room was small with two beds and a window view of Coruscant, both men were dressed in light beige patient robes making their appearance identical. However the two men couldn't be further apart in how they were taking their leisure time, Windu sat on his bed looking over a holopad while Skywalker was up looking out the window, hands behind his back.

"So what are you planning to do with this son of Jango Fett?" Anakin asked.

"I'm not planning to do anything?" Master Windu replied to him.

Anakin turned around "That kid destroyed an entire cruiser to get to you, and your just going to let it go."

"Is there something I should be doing Skywalker?"

Anakin started to walk toward him "How about track him down?" Anakin asked.

"So I should act as this child did, I should seek revenge?" Windu said not showing much of a thought about the notion.

"No how is it revenge if we track him down and bring him to justice." Anakin said "If you hadn't noticed Skywalker, we've got bigger problems to deal with." Mace Windu said.

Before the two could start to but heads Ahsoka and Plo walked into one of the temple's medical room that Anakin and Mace were in "We have a situation we received a transmission from the bounty hunters." Plo informed them before walking over to the small holoprojector in the corner of the room and turning it on as Windu got off his bed.

"They apparently took hostages." he said as a hologram of a tall pale woman with an orange body suit without sleeves and a brown vest and boots with a blaster over her back, her head had a tall long ponytail flowing down her back, beside her was a boy with fair skin and almost black hair in gray with blaster pistols on his hip. Below them on their knees were Admiral Kilian, Commander Ponds and one other clone on their, with only Kilian and the other gagged.

The boy spoke then "Mace Windu you were lucky to escape, your friends here were not so fortunate." the young clone said, pointing his blaster at Ponds head.

"Until you face Boba, these men will be killed one at a time what's your name?" she asked Ponds.

When he didn't answer, she kicked him. "Name!" she demanded.

"CT-411." he answered slowly "Pathetic, Boba do it." she told the young clone, now identified as Boba.

The young clone hesitated, holding the blaster "Boba!" she said more forcefully the kid finally lowered his blaster and Aurra immediately shot the clone in the head.

"That was Ponds." Anakin said mournfully. "Only two to go, Windu come and find us, we'll be waiting." she said, giving an evil smile before the hologram ended.

"I'll go." Mace decided. "I thought you had bigger concerns?" Anakin asked him. Windu turned his head to look at the Knight.

"That was before we knew hostages were involved." he replied, getting off his bed.

"You are too injured to travel, and your presence would only aggravate the boy I shall go and take Skywalker's Padawan." Plo said, placing a hand on the shoulder of Ahsoka who gave Windu a reassuring smile. The Master gave them a nod and walked out.

When they left and started to make their way to the hanger Ahsoka looked up at "Master Plo who was the hologram the boy looked like a clone?"

"The woman is named Aurra Sing an assassin, the boy is a clone, of the original the clones were based off his name was Jango Fett, the boy is his 'son', Boba unlike other clones Boba ages normally and received no training except at the hands of Jango Fett." Plo said taking a left at a hallway with a cross section,.

Ahsoka didn't follow him "Master, the hanger is this way?" she asked "Just need to pick something up before we leave." he told her before she followed.

Elsewhere in the temple, Leo was in the training hall facing two training droids at once with his lightsaber, supervising the training session with Master Kenobi and Master Yoda. "Leo has… an unusual style?" Cin said.

"Holds nothing back he does, committed to every attack?" Yoda said as Plo and Ahsoka walked in.

Ahsoka looked over and saw Leo was enveloped in his training, not letting up on either droid ignoring the new comers "Masters, Ahsoka and I are going after Master Windu and Skywalkers assailants, it appears they took hostages."

"Troubling?" Obi-Wan said before Plo looked over at Leo who was knocked down by one of the droids who tried to stomp on him, Leo caught the droid's foot with the force and threw it at the other before engaging them again when they rose. "I request that Padawan Rock join me." he asked, to Ahsoka' surprise.

Yoda hummed "Seek him as an apprentice do you Master Plo, in need of a teacher he is?" Master Plo looked at Obi-Wan then at Master Yoda "That is a matter for the Council, of which you know my standing on the subject." Plo said as Leo cut down the droids where they stood deactivating his lightsaber.

"Go with you he may, may the force be with you Master Plo." Yoda told them before Leo walked over to them.

Ahsoka and her locked eyes, Leo looked away immediately to Master Plo, he gave a robotic bow and rose "Master Plo, I am at your service."

Later the three Jedi made their way to the hanger and slipped ponchos on before getting into a Praxis Mk. I turbo speeder and take off across Coruscant. Ahsoka's was a light beige with a pattern around the fringe, Leo's was dark brown with a fringe stitching on the end, Master Plo Koon was wearing a dark cloak with its own Kel Dor pattern. The ride was silent as Leo sat in the back looking out across the city ignoring Ahsoka's looks as he ignored her.

"Master Plo, I don't understand, shouldn't we be heading for the last place we knew Boba Fett was spotted?" Ahsoka asked him.

"Why head to the one place we know he is not." Plo said as he lowered the speeder into one of Coruscant's Underworld portals, a massive ventilation shaft and shipping portal.

"Whoa." she said quietly in awe at the size of the portal. "The second bounty hunter in the hologram is, Aurra Sing." he explained.

"Another bounty hunter like his father, Jango Fett." she realized with a frown, Leo's ears perked up when he heard Ahsoka say the word 'father'.

"Yes. It seems this boy found himself in the care of at least one of Jango's associates." he said.

"So we're looking for friends of Jango Fett or places where they hang out." she realized.

"And to do that, we must go to the lower levels. The underworld." he replied as he lowered the speeder toward one of the docking ramps.

As they started to land Leo finally spoke "What happened to Boba's father?" Leo asked.

"He was killed in the first battle of Geonosis by Master Windu no less." Plo told him, Leo frowned hearing it before they landed.

The three Jedi exited the speeder and made their way towards a visitor processing area where customs droids were asking people for their passes. Plo unlocked a Force-activated lock and the ray shield went down, allowing them to walk through. "The data on Jango Fett suggested he frequented this area; we must be cautious." he warned the two of them. The Jedi made their way towards another landing pad with three hover taxis on it. They stepped onto the middle one and Plo pressed a few buttons before they flew away from the area across the city streets. Leo looked at the under city below and up above.

When he felt Ahsoka watching him Leo looked back at her "What?"

"You've been quiet?" Ahsoka said to him "I don't have anything to say." Leo grumbled looking away again.

_JEDI TEMPLE_

The Jedi Council had assembled once more to discuss an unusual matter for them, Mace Windu was there in his usual attire more fitting of the Jedi Master, the only members not there is physical form but hologram was Masters Mundi, Luminara, Galli, Ti, and Fitso sitting in their own seats as Master Yoda spoke. "The fate of Padawan Leo Rock to be decided this is, aware we are of the Siths interest in the boy know also his true identity and how this affects our decision."

"Master Yoda, I believe we are a member short, Master Plo is not here?" Fitso asked, gesturing to the only empty seat.

"Master Plo is supervising Padawan Rock as we speak." Obi-Wan told him "I see, but why would such a decision be decided by the Council, surely we have plenty of Jedi in need of a new apprentice?" He asked.

"The situation is more complicated, you do recall how the Stark Hyperspace war ended?" Obi-Wan asked as Kit gapped "Ah…. I see."

The next Master to speak was Windu "Do any of us here have candidates they would suggest for a new Master?"

"What about Master Billaba, she's quite capable?" Master Luminara suggested "Another Padawan already decided for her, there has been." Master Yoda said.

With that option out of the window "Master Mundi, what of you?" Gali asked him.

"I'm afraid the death of my former Padawan is still too recent, I do not think I am ready for another apprentice." Master Mundi said solemnly.

The jedi continued "Master Ti, perhaps if he learned under you he could better learn patience?" Master Fitso suggested looking at the torgurtan woman "I disagree, in all respect to Shaak the boy is more useful in the field as a Commander then on Kamino." Master Windu suddenly said.

"Then it is clear." Kit said smiling "We are all aware of the boy's skill with a lightsaber from Pongs own training, what he needs now is discipline Master Windu. I put forth the notion you become Padawan Rocks new master?" Kit said said to the council.

"Seconded." Master Piell said.

Master Yoda looked at Obi-Wan who'd been silent during the whole debate "To a vote it shall be put." Master Yoda said.

_UNDERWORLD_

Back with the Jedi in the underworld, Master Plo, Ahsoka and Leo walked into their fourth bar the interior was filled with smugglers, bounty hunters and Under city patrons getting drinks. As they walked in the sight of a hooded man with two children coming in gave everyone pause as Master Plo walked up to the bar. Ahsoka looked at a couple of gang members by a jukebox and Leo's eyes were drawn to a dimly lit Pazaak table, the dealers were either armored bounty hunters or hooded figures, one among them was wearing a faded yellow duster with a wide brimmed hat that covered his face as he shuffled the cards.

"I'm looking for information." Master Plo said to the bartender who was a devaronian man scrubbing a cup "Information will cost you." he said to Plo.

Plo placed his lightsaber not he bar "It had better be worth it." Plo said.

The second the bartender saw the lightsaber he scoffed putting the glass away "Ah no, I'm not talking to no Jedi get out of my place." he snapped

Ahsoka gritted her teeth and walked up to the bar "Listen Sleemo tell us what we want to know now!" she snapped slamming her hand on the bar. In a second every person in the bar drew blaster pistols at the jedi everyone except the man shuffling the cards who just kept at it. "I believe we should leave." Master Plo said to Ahsoka who almost drew her lightsaber but stopped.

The three jedi backed out of the bar slowly, their fourth failed attempts at other bars, as they walked out Leo felt eyes on them and blaster sights too. "Well that could have gone better." Leo said.

"Yeah cause you've been such a huge help." Ahsoka said annoyed as they walked on to another cantina in a seedier part of town. "Well, I hope we have better luck here this is the fifth scum bucket drinking hole we've been to." Ahsoka complained lightly as they made their way towards the bar.

Leo trailed behind them and looked over his shoulder sensing something but when he looked back he saw nothing there. "Yes. And this time try to be more… subtle." Plo stressed.

"What do you mean?" she asked, sounding genuinely confused after she turned around to face him when they stopped moving.

Plo looked at her sternly "You've adopted many of your master's ways, including a lack of… subtlety." he explained before walking past her.

"Sorry, Master Plo." she apologized quietly, with her head down, Leo didn't say anything comforting as he usually did the events during the storm when he accident years attacked her still fresh in his mind.

Soon they found themselves in front of the door to the next bar. "Just try to blend in. Listen, you may be surprised what people reveal when they have been drinking." Plo assured as he opened the door before they walked in. Leo hesitated to enter when he thought he saw someone peeking out of a corner before disappearing again and walked in. The first thing Leo noticed was the Twi'lek dancer and couldn't fight the grin that spread onto his face, he was broken out of 'certain' thoughts by Master Plo's voice.

"Have a look around." he told them, quietly.

Leo adopted a serious look and refocused back on the task as he parted from Ahsoka as they walked through the bar, she took an open wall by a table and Leo pretended to look at bounty marks as other people came in. "Alright, try to relax." she said, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes.

"Like Master Plo says. I'm listening, i'm listening…" she trailed off quietly as she listened to the sounds of the bar afew seconds later her eyes snapped open. "Murdered?" she said suddenly.

The padawan walked near a booth and turned her back towards two patrons in it and started eavesdropping. "He was working a big job at least that is what he said Castus was telling me he had some valuable information on a holotransmitter and then boom she shot him it must have been some good dirt." the guy chuckled.

"What's her name? I hope it's not who I think it is." the second patron inquired.

"He was working with Aurra Sing. She's bad news." The first guy replied, the second one squirmed as Leo looked over his shoulder to see them, he recognized the second one was one of Hondo Ohnaka crew from Felucia "Ah, that's her alright she's the boss' ex there's always trouble when she shows up." the second guy quipped.

"Yeah that's the one." he confirmed.

Leo sensed it too late and the first guy, a Nautolan, grabbed Ahsoka and held her with his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Leo gritted his teeth in frustration as the second one, a Weequay questioned her, "Find something interesting kid?" he asked sarcastically.

Instead of answering she elbowed the Nautolan in the gut and escaped his grasp when he let go before pushing him into his partner. Leo quickly stepped protectively in front of Ahsoka as the Nautolan recovered fast and turned around to face them with knives in his hands.

"Hey, whats this? What are reaching for?" he demanded as they had their hands underneath the ponchos, ready to grab their sabers.

The Weequay and some other patrons immediately aimed their blasters at the two padawans. A lightsaber being activated was heard and they all turned to look at a Plo with his saber ready. "Stand down." he ordered the patrons.

"You can't take us all, Jedi." the Nautolan declared arrogantly and waved his knives threateningly. The padawans and Master formed a small circle to keep their attention on the patrons. "Would you like to try and prove your theory?" he asked the patrons as the two padawans ignited their blades. The three started to back up slowly towards the exit. "Hey nobody's shootin' up my place today!" the bar owner snapped.

Ahsoka looked over at Leo. "Got any credits?" she asked him, Leo reached under his poncho and tossed her a bag "Yeah, why?"

"He's right to drink in the house." Ahsoka said, tossing some money into the air.

The patrons turned their attention to the money on the ground and the Jedi quickly exited the bar. "Not very subtle." Plo pointed out as they sheathed their sabers.

"Well, I was being subtle." she defended as they made their way back to the taxi "You cost me my entire allowance." Leo said behind her "You'll get over it Rusty." she rudely said.

"Interesting result." he quipped humorously "But Master, you were right we heard about a murder a murder Aurra Sing recently committed." she explained.

Plo placed a hand on her shoulder. "Where?" he asked.

"Florrum." she replied. "Well done, little 'Soka." he complimented before they stepped onto the speeder. "We're off to Florrum." he said, starting the taxi up.

It began to take off back to the temple, as they did Leo looked over his shoulder at sky taxis and speeders were in the roar "Padawan Rock, I sense you are distracted what is it?"

"I think we're being followed?" he said "We are, he's been tailing us from the first two bars." Plo Koon said.

Ahsoka snapped her head over to them "First two?"

"He moved to another to throw us off, but he's there but he's no threat best to ignore him." Master Plo said.

"Ignore him?" Leo asked looking around them when he spotted there tail. It was the man shuffling the cards at the fourth bar in the wide brimmed hat and faded yellow duster, he was driving in a dark speeder bike a good distance away. "There!" Leo pointed, as soon as he pointed the man vered off.

"Leave it, we have our mission." Master Plo said "What if he's working with the Bounty Hunters?" Leo asked.

Ahsoka's eyes widened hearing it "He may be right, Master Plo."

"I assure you, he's not." Master Plo said and that was the end of it as they returned to the temple.

_FLORRUM_

Meanwhile across the galaxy on the planet Florrum, Aurra Sing and Boba Fetter were in Hondo's private quarters surrounded by the pirate captains' loot. Boba was staring out the window over the planet "Well my dear, you've gotten yourself into an interesting predicament, again?" Hondo said sitting behind his desk with a cup of wine.

"Getting involved with the Jedi is never a good idea." Hondo said.

Suddenly Aurra's comlink started to blink with another's voice "Auura, we've got a ship incoming Jedi by the look of it."

"Windu." Boba hissed.

Aurra smiled maliciously, hungry for blood "Finally, take them long enough, move Slave I to the outskirts and get the hostages ready?"

"Right." Their partner said, Aurra looked up at Hondo who downed the rest of his drink "So are you in or out?"

Hondo slammed his drink on his desk "I will not help you, but I will not hinder you if this is your fight not mine."

"My days of fighting Jedi are long over, I thought you wouldn't have forgotten the last time we tried it" Hondo asked.

Boba looked at the two adults curiously "What's he talking about?"

"Ancient history?" Aurra said "Oh come, come now my sweet surely you or at least his dear old father told him of the adventures our old crew used to have?"

"I wouldn't exactly call the war the Captain got us dragged into an adventure." Aurra said getting up "Do you know where he is by the way, he's someone I'd kill for free?" She asked him.

"You and the entire outer rim, but last I heard he was drinking and gambling his fortune away on Coruscant, surrounded by his own private army of security?" Hondo said smiling at her.

Aurra gave him a disgusted look "Still his friend after everything, your heart is black."

"I still beat for you my love now you better hurry the jedi will be here soon." Hondo said before they started to leave "By the way did you know our olds Captains son is a jedi." Hondo said.

Aurra smiled "Really…"

An hour later the Jedi exited hyperspace in a T-6 shuttle above Florrum before they began to fly down to the world. Leo sat in the back as Ahsoka was the copilot, Leo was still sulking in the back arms crossed. "What will happen to Boba if we find him?" He asked.

"Tried for his crimes." Plo stated "Why do you care?" Ahsoka asked Leo.

"I don't, I was just curious." He snapped, Ahsoka glared at him "Whatever."

When the shuttle landed and Upon exiting said shuttle they were greeted by none other than Hondo Ohnaka as he walked up to them, Ahsoka glared at him as Leo looked at the pirate curiously. "Hello, hello and welcome to Florrum." he greeted before gesturing to them to follow.

"I should assume you are walking us into a trap." Plo asked.

"Yes you should, they're waiting inside the bar have no idea what she has planned for you." the pirate leader explained glancing at Leo and smiling.

"And the reason you're telling us is?" Plo asked.

Hondo stopped and smiled "So you know that I am not involved in this." he replied.

"Remember: Patience." Plo reminded the padawans gently they nodded and waited a few seconds before sneaking in and hiding behind a corner with Aurra's back facing them.

Ahsoka looked up at Leo who was watching Hondo leave the room "Psst, Rusty."

"Rusty!" She whispered a bit louder as Plo walked in with the room Aurra was sitting in.

Leo snapped his head to her "What's with you, doesn't matter right now we need to work together okay?"

He knew she was right and nodded grabbing his lightsaber at the ready, Plo walked around Sings table and sat down across from her and sat down.

"Bad move, Jedi this will cost you." she warned as a gun was cocked behind Plo's head, it was Boba holding the gun.

"I wanted, Windu what are you doing here?" Boba demanded his voice furious with disappointment.

"We can do this the difficult way or the simple way the choice is yours" Plo offered.

Aurra raised her fingers to an earpiece when Leo noticed the antenna sticking out of her head, he made a few hand signs to Ahsoka and then pointed to his own head then hers. Ahsoka nodded as the two of them reading each other's mind to go after the antenna.

"Bossk, can you hear me?" she asked over her com "Yesss." Book said on the other end.

"Execute the hostages if I give the word." she said to him.

"Unwise you have already lost and you don't even know it." Plo said.

"I am prepared to kill you, the hostages, whatever it takes to get what Boba wants!" she snarled "Sounds more like what you want." Plo mused, Leo and Ahsoka knodded and ran out lightsabers drawn.

Ahsoka quickly cut Aurra's antenna off before grabbing her and holding the saber close to her neck. Boba moved the gun closer to Plo's head. "Don't!" Ahsoka warne as Leo came out, lightsaber pointed at Boba.

Let her go!" the young clone demanded his voice trembling like his blaster grip.

"No chance." Ahsoka shot back.

"She won't do it, Boba. She's not like you." Aurra said calmly.

"She's right. I'm not a murderer." Ahsoka agreed.

Boba only snapped at them all "I'm not a murderer! But I want justice!"

"We are justice." Plo said locking eyes with Sing, Leo's own eyes were darting back and forth through the conversation. He then noticed Aurra was looking right at him with shock despite being calm the whole time "Well well well, Hondo was right…" she said.

Leo looked at her "What are you on about?" He asked.

"No one will be harmed if you come quietly." the older Jedi assured.

Boba seemed to be considering it. "I can't let you die." he said to Aurra with a remorseful look. "You won't have too." Aurra said as she moved her boot upward to Boba and winked.

"Aurra!" Boba snapped and shot at Ahsoka, who deflected it in time Aurra quickly punched her in the face and elbowing Ahsoka in the chest, causing her to back up Aurra stomped her heel to the ground, sending two spikes towards Plo who slammed the table, causing it to flip in time to catch the spikes before Force-pushing Boba back. Leo tried to attack Aurra from behind but she dodged his strike and kicked him in the gut throwing him right into Ahsoka before she took out two dual blaster pistols. shooting at the two padawans, who managed to deflect the bolts. Plo used the Force to throw the table in between them. The table exploded into chunks from her blaster fire and Leo took this brief distraction to cut Aurra's blasters in half before pointing the tip of his saber at her neck. Sing raised her hands in surrender. "It's over. Surrender!" Plo ordered her, walking over to them.

"Aurra, now!" Boba barked tossing a small round device at their feet.

The Jedi looked at it before realizing what it was. "Bomb!" Ahsoka warned before the three jumped out of the way and Aurra ran.

The Jedi landed on the ground in a mild daze. "Boba, hurry!" Sing urged as she started running to the exit on her feet. The young clone started to run just as Plo picked his saber up before using the Force to pull the kid towards him. "Aurra, help! Help me!" he pleaded as the older Jedi gripped him by the shoulders.

Sing stopped at the door and turned to look at him she turned her attention to Leo and Ahsoka as he helped her up. They started chasing her when she took off. "Don't leave me! No!" he begged as she ran out the door, as Ahsoka and Leo took off but when Leo heard the boy cry out he stopped frozen.

Plo turned Boba around to face him and knelt down "Boba where are the hostages?" He demanded.

"I can't believe it she left me…" Boba said "Boba if you don't tell me where they are the hostages will die, innocent men!?" Plo said, trying to get him to give up the location.

"Leo go, help Ahsoka." Plo ordered "Yes Master." Leo replied running out to see Hondo and his crew enjoying the afternoon.

Leo was about to get on a speeder "Better hurry boy, the ladies got a head start on you." Leo got on the speeder "Don't you want to hear what Uncle Hondo promised you?" Leo looked at him knowing that the pirate knew who his father was.

His instincts took over and he kicked off the dirt on his speeder bike heading out after Ahsoka. She had exited the structure earlier and was chasing the bounty hunter through the canyons. They soon ended up in a narrow canyon as she started catching up to Sing. Ahsoka activated her blade as he managed to get beside Sing. The bounty hunter bashed into them, forcing the bike to lose some speed and fall back before the padawan could take a slash.

Later, back at the pirate harbor Plo was taking Boba out of the room "He won't tell me where the hostages are, perhaps he'll listen to you?"

Boba refused to even look at anyone he just kept his eyes on the ground "Tell the Jedi what he wants to know Boba." Hondo said in a kind soft voice.

"Why should I, I've got no one else?" Boba snapped.

"Because it is the honorable thing to do, it's what your father would want." Hondo said trying to give him some good advice.

Boba sighed "Coordinates 1-5-7-9, Aurra's probably leading the other Jedi away."

"Ahsoka, Leo, she is trying to lead you away from the hostages. Go to coordinates 1-5-7-9." Plo informed them over Ahsoka's corner Leo was closing in on them when he heard and followed Ahsoka.

Back at the pirate harbor, Hondo looked up at Plo Koon "Ah I thought I recognized you, you were one of the Jedi at Qotile." Hondo said.

"Indeed I was." Plo said as he put binders on Boba "A true shame, Boba and the other boy might have been friends?" Hondo said, rising as his men started to return inside.

"What do you mean?" Boba asked him "Nothing that concerns you young man." Plo said.

Back with the padawans, the two quickly took a left as Aurra kept going forward afew seconds later they reached an open area with the bounty hunter, Bossk about to execute Kilian and the clone. Using the speeders' guns, she managed to get Bossk away from them in time. The Jedi jumped off the bike and let it zoom off to the side and as soon as they landed Ahsoka cut the binders off them. After pulling his gag off his mouth, Kilian grabbed Bossk's rifle and aimed it at the prone bounty hunter who was about to stand back up. "Don't move." he ordered the Trandoshan as Leo pointed his lightsaber at Bossk.

The trandoshan was in a daze when he saw Leo gasping, "...Captain?"

Upon hearing a noise of an incoming speeder, they looked up to see Aurra zoom off the cliff and ditch the speeder. Causing it to crash into the other one and making both explode knocking the Jedi, admiral and clone onto the ground. They looked up in time just to see Sing running up the Slave I ramp and into it. The padawan quickly got up and managed to jump onto the wing as it started taking off. Unfortunately the ship started to shift forward. Ahsoka however wasn't so lucky she cried out in surprise as she lost her footing, luckily she managed to get a good grip on the corner of the bottom of the wing. Leo was having a difficult time at reaching her from where he was and lost his grip falling back onto the ground. Ahsoka held her grip and reignited her blade and sliced the part where the wing connected with the ship, causing it to fall to the ground. The ship started to lean towards the right now that its left wing was gone, she jumped onto the top of the glass where the cockpit was and stabbed their sabers through it as Sing tried blasting them. She removed their sabers from the glass and started deflecting her bolts. Ahsoka backflipped off first and started to fall, Leo reached out with the force and grabbed her before she could hit the ground.

"Huh… thanks Rusty." she said as he dropped her onto her feet they looked up to see the ship start descending to the ground before crashing and exploding not too far away.

Ahsoka closed her eyes knowing no one could have survived the crash, Leo reached out and took her hand "Leo… did I kill that woman?"

"No, her choices did." Leo said "She chose not to count on her friends, especially when she needed them most." he said squeezing her hand.

Later Master Plo had flown down to the outskirts they were at with Boba in binders, when the ramp lowered the Jedi, Killian and Clone officers began to board the ship. "Boba was sitting defeated in one of the chairs shoulders slumped as Leo and the clone officer shoved Bossk in abroad "If you think I'm going quietly Jedi you got another thin-" Bossk was suddenly shot with a stun blast and knocked out on the floor.

"That was for Commander Ponds you Bounty Hunter scum." Killian growled holding the blaster rifle before handing it to the clone officer.

"Sing?" Plo asked Ahsoka and Leo, "She went down in the ship." Ahsoka reported looking over at Boba "She's dead."

"Ahsoka." Leo said stopping her from pushing it anymore "Time to go home." Plo said taking them up into the sky and back to Coruscant.

Leo looked down at Boba who started to glare at him "Maybe they'll go easy on you." Leo said suddenly "Don't count on it." Ahsoka said, taking the copilot seat.

_CORUSCANT _

_Prison _

A few hours later they were back on Coruscant, with Boba and Bossk in binders with eight clones helped escort them as they met up with Anakin, Mace and Obi-Wan waiting for them. As soon as they stopped, Mace walked up to Boba and kneeled in front of him. "I see now i've done terrible things." the young clone admitted. "But you started it when you murdered my father! I'll never forgive you." he swore before Windu stood back up.

"Well, you're going to have to." the Master replied before looking at the clones. "Take him away." he said as Plo placed a hand on the kid's shoulder and led him away while the others looked on.

Boba turned around stopping and looking at Leo "Wait, before I go Captain Hondo told me to tell you something red." Boba said as nobody knew who 'red' was but Leo could only assume it was him.

"Take him away." Master Windu ordered again as the clones pushed him on, Leo watched Boba vanish behind the doors of the prison "What do you think will happen to him?" Leo asked her.

"I don't know, he's a murderer he deserves to be in jail." she said coldly as Leo looked at her "So am I."

"That was different, you're different, we're Jedi." she said "I'm trying to be…. AHsoka I'm sorry about what happened the other night, you know I'd never hurt you."

She nodded at him "I know, you couldn't even if you tried." she teased as the Jedi Masters and Anakin approached Leo.

"Well done in bringing the boy to justice Snips, Rusty." Anakin praised "Thank you Master." Ahsoka said smiling Leo looked back at the prison.

"What about Boba's justice, for his father?" Leo asked them "What indeed, but more specially what will become of you the Council has decided on who your new Master is to be." Obi-Wan said before he walked back to the shuttle with the other jedi.

Leo and Ahsoka looked at one another "... who?" Leo asked.

Obi-Wan turned around "Me of course, now come my young Padawan I'm sure you'll be much better than my last Padawan he was quite a headache that came and went." Obi-Wan said as Anakin glared at him "Heyyy."

"Ah there it is." Obi-Wan said, taking Leo by the shoulder.

**Okay, Obi-Wan's the master, but I decided to skip the Mandalore Arc because I thought it wasn't entirely necessary. If enough people ask for one where Leo and Obi-Wan go to Mandalore and Leo meets Satine I'll write it, but I may just skip ahead into the first half of season 3 and move onto the finale of Leo and the Dark Acolytes.**


	25. The Mandalore Plot

**Chapter 25**

**The Mandalore Plot**

_JEDI TEMPLE_

_Training Grounds_

Leo and Obi-Wan had locked lightsabers with Obi-Wan holding the boy back with one arm "Tell me how did your intermediate lessons with Master Yoda go?" Obi-Wan asked him before he broke it off, Obi-Wan showing his skill with his lightsaber spinning it in his hand making Leo look at the flashing blue blade as he held up his white one.

"... Good." Leo said trying to focus.

Obi-Wan attacked again "Good? We were all students of Master Yoda, with the exception of you."

Leo dodged and parried before coming back around "He is wise-" Leo started to attack Obi-Wan before Kenobi disarmed Leo right then and there knocking out Leo's lightsaber from his hand and into his own gloved one.

"Distracted?" Obi-Wan smuggly asked him.

Clutching his knickers wrist, Leo looked up at him "Hard to duel and carry an in-depth conversation about Master Yoda?" Leo retorted before Obi-Wan tossed the boy his lightsaber back.

"The Jedi Arts are as exactly as they sound Leo, art, we as Jedi are the artists and our lightsabers are the tools which we create our masterpiece." Obi-Wan said taking out his lightsaber and taking his signature high guard with two fingers pointed forward.

Leo matched him trying to keep his arm as straight as an arrow parallel to his lightsaber "Fighting another force wielders with a lightsaber is no joke, while you managed to hold your own against the likes of Tol Skorr and defeat the two Dark Acolytes on Ryloth, Skorr is trained in the jedi arts he toyed with you while the others had only a brief amount of formal training compiled on years of criminal experience." Obi-Wan said as they went through the motions.

"So you're saying I need to get stronger?" Leo asked him as they moved in synchronization.

Obi-Wan replied "Stronger wouldn't the word I would use-" Obi-Wan suddenly back flipped over to one of the pillars landing on it with one foot arms behind his back "With more grace."

Leo's interest sunk into a clunky "Huh?"

Obi-Wan turned off his lightsaber and jumped down before he urged the boy to follow him out of the training grounds "There's more to being a Jedi than being a warrior or even a good soldier Leo."

The two of them entered the illustrious cavernous halls of the jedi temple, "Our Order has an abundance of practices to offer to the Galaxy, art, literature, medical and philosophical you as a Padawan must learn to see where you can focus to better serve the galaxy."

Leo followed him hands behind his back "I've always thought my place was on the battlefield in conflict?"

"Where a peacekeeper should be to end it." Obi-Wan agreed as they passed by one of the grand staircases slowly descending "As your battle meditation powers grow you may one day even be able to end conflicts without them ever beginning?"

Leo stopped "You mean I'll be able to control people's minds?" Leo asked.

"A poor choice of words you will… sway their hearts." Obi-Wan corrected with a smile looking back at the boy, suddenly he frowned and put a finger to his lip.

Leo felt the man examining him like a clay he was about to mold "Uh Master?" Leo asked him a bit confused, Obi-Wan's eyes settled on Leo's messy orange locks of hair that almost went down past his jaw. "We should cut your hair."

"What?" Leo said his fingerless gloves shooting straight toward his scalp "Why?" He asked as Obi-Wan continued on.

"The standard haircut for every padawan is a short trim and the braid, your mark of padawanship should be the only thing that grows as you do, come I will see about setting up an appointment." Obi-Wan said as Leo followed like a man walking the green mile.

As they walked down the hallway Anakin and Ahsoka approached them from the other end "We've got a problem." Anakin said.

"Oh thank the force." Leo whispered to himself knowing his hair had been spared by the clippers of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Everyone looked at Leo before he smiled sheepishly "You were saying?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Anakin took out a holodevice and turned it on to reveal a mandalorian commando running through what sounded like a firefight spinning around and shooting with a carbine blaster rifle, before Anakin paused the recording. "Looks like we missed one heck of a fight?" Ahsoka said to Leo.

"Yeah…" he said in awe of the armored warrior "A mandalorian commando, where was this?" Obi-Wan asked.

"On one of our cruisers, the saboteur crippled the ship but before we could capture him he took his own life." Anakin said, offering the device to Obi-Wan before he turned it off "Rumors have been circulating that the Mandalorians are building their own army in the Senate."

Anakin continued "The Council wished to relay their desire for you to go to Mandalore and speak with their leader, the Duchess Satine about it."

A sudden shift appeared in Obi-Wan. He seemed both happy and sad at the same time "Very well, Padawan shall we go. This will be a good experience for you in understanding how Jedi handle diplomacy… without a lightsaber." He said glaring at Anakin playfully.

Anakin's face soured "Got to let that go Master."

_MANDALORE _

_Sundari_

Obi-Wan and Nadia arrived over Mandalore from above and slowly started to descend in their T-6 shuttle, "What do you know of Duchess Satine?" Obi-Wan asked to fly them in.

"She's the leader of Neutral Systems, over one thousand five hundred planets that want to stay out of the war." Leo replied to him.

"Very good." Obi-Wan said smiling at him "And what do you know of Mandalore?" He asked him.

Leo looked back down at the white marble of a world getting ever closer "Only the legends of our Archives, how they were once warriors so skilled they challenged the Jedi and that Jango Fett the original clone was one, maybe?"

"And his son, Boba if the boy intends to follow in his father's footsteps as a bounty hunter." Obi-Wan said that reminded Leo of something but he wasn't sure if this was the right time to ask it.

Obi-Wan could feel the boys anxiety through the force "Something on your mind?" Obi-Wan asked him to slow the ships descent so they could talk.

"I know that Boba's a clone, but he was raised by Jango Fett as a son to a father?" He asked Obi-wan.

"What is the question here Leo?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Leo gulped "Did you know your father?" Leo asked him.

Obi-Wan's face went blank before he focused on the flying "I know of him yes, when I was an apprentice I saw them in a vision later after I was made a Master I eventually met them."

"We can meet them?" Leo asked "When you ascend to the rank of Jedi Master Leo, there's very little the Council can stop you from, it's not encouraged and from my own experience it can be a bitter sweet affair. As Jedi we must detach ourselves from all our own wants and desires, this includes family or marriage." Obi-Wan said his tone shifted as they passed into the clouds, things becoming foggy "Being a Jedi can be a fulfilling life but a lonely one."

They finally landed outside the city of Sundari on Mandalore, the surface of Mandalore was barren and white with domed cities spotting the surface. The ports around the city were bustling with ships and trade, When they exited the shuttle Leo looked at the mandalorians on the docks, they were nearly all human wearing white, pale blue or gray tight fitting tunics with neatly trimmed hair and clean shaven faces on the men, some with trimmed mustaches and light beards. Awaiting their arrival on a sky taxi was a Mandalorian Royal Guard, he wore eccentric armor with blue robes under it and a plumed helmet with a slit visor.

"The duchess awaits you."the Guard said bowing to them both.

"Far be it for us to keep the Duchess waiting."Obi-Wan said as he climbed onto the transport and Leo right behind two jedi flew into the city and Leo's eyes nearly popped out of there sockets at what he saw, the city of Sundari was like walking into a dream. Great cubed structures of crystal glass filled the entire city, trees on nearly every terrace and there didn't seem to be a crum in sight. Leo looked in wonder at the block-like structures all around her made of transparent materials in elegant patterns. Leo was surprised at how fast the transport moved and the entrance to the palace was approaching swiftly, hard to miss with how grand it was built with curving arches.

When it landed Leo followed Obi-Wan off the transport toward the palace where two more of the Royal Guards were stationed. When the large doors opened as Obi-Wan and Leo entered the view inside took the interior was just as ornate as the exterior. With art covering the walls, especially a prominent painting of a woman in an blue and turquoise gown wearing an orange head dress with golden hair, she had a slender face and nose with soft eyes and a warm smile that Leo almost seemed drawn to.

As they entered an old man dressed in white and gold with purple eyes and a neatly trimmed set of hair and beard approached them

"General Kenobi." The man said bowing politely.

"Thank you for meeting with us Prime Minister Almec." Obi-Wan said diplomatically as the man shook hands with both Obi-Wan and then looked at the boy "Is this boy your son?" The Prime Minister asked, looking at him.

Obi-Wan gave a slight chuckle "No, allow me to introduce my Padawan Learner Leo Rock."

"I welcome you and your Master here as servants of the people Padawan, but I am troubled by the false rumors that have brought you here." Almec said "Mandalore would never turn against the Republic; the Duchess Satine values peace more than her own life." The Prime Minister declared

"Oh, I'm aware of the Duchess' views." Obi-Wan said his voice filled to the brim with sarcasm as they followed Almec into the palace's grand hall.

"Master Kenobi, mandalore's violent past is behind us."Almec stated. "All of our warriors were exiled to our moon, concordia, they died out years ago." He said shaking his head at the idea of Mandalore being involved in any violence.

"Mhm…are you certain?" Obi-Wan asked, his hand stroking his beard thoughtfully. "I recently encountered a man wearing Mandalorian armor; Jango Fett."

"Jango fett was a common bounty hunter."Almec suddenly snapped. "How he acquired that armor is beyond me."

"Well, Master Kenobi..."a female voice said on the far end of the hall. Obi-Wan, Leo and Almec looked to see walking into the throne room was the same woman in the royal cyan green dress entered with two guards and another man. He was sporting a blue shirt and tan pants under a gray cloak and cowl that exposed his face.

"My shining jedi knight to the rescue once again."She retorted as she approached the throne, the woman sat down on the throne which appeared to be made of metal silver and stained glass chairs that lit up as soon as she sat the design in the throne made a strange shimmering noise and glowed in orange giving her an even more ethereal look. Leo realized that the woman could be none other than the Duchess of Mandalore.

"After all these years, you're even more beautiful than ever." Obi-Wan said approaching the throne from behind, Leo nearly gapped his eyes getting wider by the minute at the praise Obi-Wan bequeathed.

Satine soft demeanor suddenly turned to one of stone "Kind words from a man who accuses me of treachery."Satine replied in a sharp tone.

"I would never accuse you of Personal wrongdoing, duchess." Obi-Wan said as he started to walk forward, Leo behind him till he stopped just short with the Prime Minister "However, a separatist saboteur attacked one of our Republic cruisers, a mandalorian saboteur, Padawan?"

Leo pulled out a small holo-display as she activated the picture for the Duchess to see. The small blue image of the Mandalorian armored warrior appeared, firing on the crew of a Republic ship. He paused the image so that the man could be seen in full clarity, fully aware of the anger that was starting to boil inside of the Duchess and the Prime Minister as he finally shut the hologram off.

"You must be mistaken."Almec said walking up to the throne to stand by his Duchess. "No mandalorian would engage in such violence, not anymore, where is this prisoner now?"

"He took his own life rather than submit to questioning," Obi-wan pointed out "I know these commandos fought in Many wars, often against the Jedi." Obi-Wan added as the Duchess leaned in from her throne.

"Every one of my people is as trustworthy as I am." Satine said firmly.

Suddenly the other man in the room spoke up "I know we sound defensive, but-" "Clearly your investigation was ordered because the senate is eager to intervene in our affairs." Satine said with a hint of anger.

Leo looked back at Obi-Wan who kept his cool like always "My investigation was ordered by the Jedi council." Obi-Wan said.

"I stand corrected." Satine said calmly, elegantly raising her left hand in front of him . "General Kenobi, perhaps you and the young lady like to join me on a walk through the city."

Obi-Wan seemed taken aback for a moment, but when the Duchess raised an eyebrow and lifted her hand higher expectantly. The jedi confidently stepped forward and gingerly took her hand in his own he silently led her off of the throne offering his arm which she wordlessly accepted.

Leo started to follow them as they headed out into a stroll for the city when the other man walked up to him "So this is the famed Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

The man looked down at Leo "My apologize young one, I am Senator Tal Merrik of Kalevala, one of our systems less known worlds and you are?"

"Leo Rock, if you excuse me I should follow my Master." Leo said "Of course, just be cautious theres quite a history you don't seem to know about." Tal said before he walked off and started to speak with the Prime Minister.

Later as the royal guards an Leo trailed behind the Duchess and Jedi Master in the heart of the city. Leo couldn't help but start to eavesdrop in on their conversation. "It's so good to see you again, Obi-wan, despite the circumstances."Satine said.

"Your peaceful ways have paid off."Obi-Wan said back to her "Mandalore has prospered since the last time I was here." He said admiring the view, and not the city.

"Not everyone on Mandalore believes that our commitment to peace is a sign of progress." Satine said, her voice going sour.

"There is a group that calls itself Death Watch, I imagine these are the renegades you're looking for, they idolize violence and the Warrior ways of the past, there are those among us, certain officials who are working to root out these criminals, it has been an ongoing investigation." She confessed to him.

"How widespread is this Death watch movement?" Obi-Wan asked as Leo silently listened watching the Jedi Master work.

The Satine dismissed him then "It's hardly a movement, It's a small group of hooligans who choose to vandalize public places, nothing more shall soon have them in custody we have tracked them down to our Moon, Concordia."

"I hope you're right, duchess."Obi-Wan said quietly.

The walk had continued throughout the gardens "I am, but enough about me how goes the peacekeeping in a time of conflict?" She asked.

"A peacekeeper belongs on the front lines of conflict."Obi-Wan said back to her. "Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to do his job."

"The work of a peacekeeper is to make sure that conflict does not arise."Satine said, Leo sensing a philosophical debate coming on.

"Yes, a noble description, but not a realistic one."Obi-Wan said almost rolling his eyes.

Satine stopped and smiled at him "Is reality what makes a jedi abandon his ideals?"Satine asked. "Or is it simply a response to political convenience?"

Finally the Duchess turned to Leo "You there young man what is your name?" She asked.

"Leo Rock your highness." He said respectively "My new padawan learner." Obi-Wan added.

The Duchess approached Leo "What do you think?" she asked.

"Uh Pardon mylady?" Leo asked obviously unaccustomed to formal conversation "About the duty of a Peacekeeper's role in keeping the peace, with violence?" she asked him, eyeing Kenobi knowing she was toying with him; but before either the boy could answer or Obi-Wan stop him an explosion suddenly erupted right in front of them. "GET DOWN." Obi-Wan yelled, tackling Satine to the ground to protect her when debris and screams filled the air.

"Are you all right?"Obi-Wan asked, gently looking at Satine.

"I'm fine."Satine replied as Leo drew lightsaber and ran up to his Master and the duchess "Leo, put that away Hooligans couldn't have arranged an attack of this scale."Obi-Wan said to him then her, Leo obeyed, turning off his lightsaber but kept it in his hand.

"Then this must be the work of an off-worlder." Satine admitted helping a man who was knocked down by the derby.

"Are you sure of that?"Obi-Wan asked as he and Leo looked to see a pointed at a orange symbol in front of them, it looked like a triton head jagged and sharp.

The Duchess rose as a crowd started to gather around the ruins of the explosion some helping others up to safety more starring in fear "The sign of the Death Watch." Satine gasped quietly.

"This goes far beyond vandalism."Obi-Wan said "This is a political statement against your government and against you."

"You're not safe herem my padawan will take you back to the palace." Obi-Wan took Satine's hand, pulling her to his side in an attempt to keep her as safe as possible, Leo watched Obi-Wan with intrigue till he snapped back to his duty ready to escort the lady to her home.

Obi-Wan turned around walking up to one of the guards "I want to interview everyone here."Obi-Wan ordered. "Nobody leaves this scene." The guards nodded, as Leo sensed something in the crowd looking around he spotted a stout man in white with an uneasy look on his face when suddenly he broke off from the crowd in a frantic run

"Master!" he called out, Obi-Wan snapped around to see him running "You there!" Obi-Wan said, Leo was about to follow but Obi-Wan already stopped him "Stay with Satine!" he ordered before Obi-Wan chased the runner down the stairs and straight to the end of the balcony.

"I only want to talk."Obi-Wan stated as the man had nowhere left to run. The man took out a blaster and started firing at them, yellow bolts of energy snapped at Obi-Wan who danced around the balcony deflecting the shots.

Outside the balcony Satine and Leo could hear the fighting, "Come on." Satine ordered Leo running head first into danger "My-my lady wait." Leo said trying to stop her but she was already down the steps. When she saw the man shooting she stopped and Leo was able to run out in front of her lightsaber drawn.

"Stay back!"Obi-Wan told the, with Obi-Wan distracted the man climbed up onto the balcony ledge and stood tall on the railing of the balcony and speaking in some language that Leo did not understand.

"Calhava bru'chun Dralshye'ran!" He yelled and Leo got ready for anything except seeing the man fall back, there was a sickening crunch below as the people screamed in terror. The Duchess and the two jedi rushed to the railing, peering over the edge to see the man lying in a cracked space of the glass walkway below still speaking. Satine covered her mouth with her hand, tearing her gaze away from the sight and squeezing her eyes shut. The three silently, they all turned from the scene and swiftly made their way down below to the man, still alive but not for long.

Satine approached, dropping to a kneeling position beside him.

Obi-Wan and Leo stood awkwardly off to the side "Whats he saying?" Leo asked Obi-wan.

"Se solu, se kad, se Darasuum kote."the man said weakly "kadi, se norm'iim."the man said his voice wavering as he breathed his last.

"Ki, kadi norm'iim."Satine said softly.

Then the man closed his eyes forever, his body going limp "He was speaking in the dialect, they use on Concordia, our moon."Satine said.

"We shall like to visit this Moon of yours."Obi-Wan said. "Perhaps we could accompany the body." Obi-Wan asked already a plan in motion.

Satine rose up from her spot on the floor "The concordian moon is a provence with its own governor."Satine said as she stood up "You'll need me to escort you both."

"That won't be necessary."Obi-Wan said trying to get her out of their affairs "Actually, it will."Nadia admitted confidently and earned a glance from her master.

"You won't make much progress."Satine said. "Without me there, especially since you've just been involved with the death of a concordian." she said gesturing back to the now dead man.

"I didn't kill him."Obi-Wan said in innocence.

"I know."Satine said with a smile. "That's why I'm still talking to you."

Obi-Wan looked like he was going to say something, but Satine turned away from him before he could make any quick remarks. "A very interesting woman?" Leo said.

"What?" Obi-Wan asked.

Leo shrugged "She seems to know what she's doing?" Leo said following Obi-Wan back to the palace.

"What are you getting at?" Obi-Wan asked, starting to get a bit flustered.

Leo looked up at his Master confused "... getting at?" Leo asked.

Obi-Wan's face flushed red for a moment "Nevermind, come we should escort Satine back to the palace- I mean the Duchess."

_CONCORDI_

Satine and the two jedi had taken a ship to head to Concordia, Satine had changed before leaving and now wore a vivid pink outfit and her hair was tied up in a bun. Her pants were fitted into a snug set of brown trousers and boots more appropriate for travels then her regal robes. As they approached Concordia Leo saw the planet was a mix of green forests on the surface and barren rocky canyons.

"I thought Concordia was an agricultural settlement?" Obi-Wan suddenly said turning to Satine as she flew them to the moon.

"Before the end of our wars, they turned it into a mining base." Satine said at the pilots control "The sheer number of mining facilities here nearly destroyed our forests; they're finally growing back." she said proudly.

The ship descended to the moon approaching rough edged natural stone structure appeared in front of them, set into the side of a range of jagged, slanted mountains. To a large city state and its main governmental building. Their transport moved swiftly to the hanger bay and the ramp lowered for Obi-Wan and Satine took up the front while Leo walked down the ramp behind them.

"Leo, tend to the body." Obi-Wan ordered as Leo started to unload the transport coffin of the Deathwatch terrorist.

Leo's eyes fell on the man that stood off to the side, shadowed in darkness and flanked by two guards. The man had similar features to the other Mandalorian people, pale skinned with blonde hair combed neatly. He wore a blueish tunic on his chest with beige pants, behind him stood two men in white armor with shields and batons.

"Duchess Satine, you are most welcome." the man said as the three drew closer.

"Thank you Governor Vizsla; may I present Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi representing the Jedi Council and his padawan Leo Rock." Satine said nodding towards each of them as Leo brought up the body.

"Governor Vizsla is one of the officials I spoke of, he has been working to find the members of the Deathwatch." Satine relayed to the Jedi.

"I take it you've heard the rumors about Satine, about how she's supposedly leading Mandalore into an alliance with the Separatists." Governor Vizsla shook his head at what he considered idle gossip.

"Our only instructions are to seek the truth." Obi-Wan said back to him.

Behind them, the coffin of the man from earlier was being whisked away and drew Vizsla's attention and the boy beside it.

"This was the man who bombed the memorial shrine?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow in question.

"Yes; he was apparently a part of Deathwatch." Obi-Wan said grimly crossing his arms.

"A worrisome prospect." Vizsla said with a small nod. "If you'll pardon me, general padawan, we must attend to the body." The Governor expressed to them both "My condolences to the family Governor." Leo said abruptly.

Governor Vizsla's brow rose up slightly "Thank you Padawan Rock, I will pass your kind words along."

Satine and Leo moved to follow Vizsla and his guards, but Obi-Wan stopped her and Leo "I need a favor from you, please keep Governor Vizsla occupied at dinner." Obi-Wan said quietly glancing between the duchess and his Padawan.

"Where are you going?" Satine asked him.

"Just for a look around." Obi-Wan said glancing from side to side as if to make sure no one was listening. "I'd like to see one of these mining facilities for myself."

"You mean you want to determine if they're still…operational?" Satine asked him.

"I hope to determine they're not." Obi-Wan said with a small smile, Leo stepped forward than "Master I should go with you just in case?" Leo urged him.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "No,you stay here and help Satine distract the Governor." He pulled out two small devices out of one of the pouches on his robes belt .

"I want you two to wear these earpieces so we can stay in contact in case either of you run into trouble while I'm gone."Obi-Wan said as Satine and Leo both took an earpiece, situated the devices into place. Obi-Wan turned and scurried over to an assembly of speeder bikes alone one side of the wall as Satine spoke up.

"Remember that you are here under my protection; please try not to cause problems where none yet exist." Satine called out after him when Obi-Wan hopped onto a nearby speeder bike.

"Think of me as…searching for solutions." Obi-Wan admitted with a small smile.

"I have to tell you I'm opposed to all of this!" Satine shouted after him.

"I'd be disappointed if you weren't." Obi-Wan responded easily before he disappeared with the speeder. Satine turned back to the doors and Leo slowly started to follow her silently. When they came to the hanger doors, they whooshed opened and the two went in. "Your Master certainly doesn't care for regulations." Satine said to the padawan, Leo didn't say any word.

His silence was noticed by her "Tell me what kind of man is your master?" She asked him, Leo could feel there was more to the question than she was letting on.

"Master Kenobi is one of the Order's greatest Masters, I'm lucky to be his padawan." Leo replied.

"Is that so, explains why his ego is so inflated." Satine expressed to him as she led them down the hallways of the building. "I've never seen Master Kenobi to do anything without good reason." Leo said, defending him.

Satine smiled "You must admire him."

"I do…. I've only been his padawan for a short while though?" Leo told him truthfully.

"Oh, how long?" She asked him, Leo danced around the question "Um… only a few days."

Satine was a bit taken back "Oh you're very lucky indeed, I knew Obi when he was only a few years older than you those were… different times." They walked on for a while more and arrived at a large door. "Here we are, we will be dining in here." Satine said.

"Please follow my lead, unlike your Master." She begged him "Yes, ma'am." Leo replied.

Satine smiled faintly before her expression returned to a calm, diplomatic mask and she opened the door, gliding elegantly inside. Leo followed her to see Governor Vizsla sitting at an office desk writing something at a monitor "Forgive me Duchess, padawan, I'm writing a condolence letter to the dead man's family." Governor Vizsla said as they entered the dining hall "And making arrangements for them to retrieve his body." The room they were in had an office feel next to a lounge side, at the end of the room the Governors desk and a table at its center, with a fully stocked bar on the right.

"Of course Governor, very proper." Satine said standing a little straighter with her hands placed behind her back. "General Kenobi will join us shortly, he said he needed to…meditate."

Governor Vizsla looked at Leo "You didn't join him, I thought the bond between Master and student was special?" The governor asked him.

"It is Governor, however I am here to protect you and the Duchess from any Deathwatch assassins seeking revenge for the death of their comrade?" Leo lied quickly, the Governor smiled at him "Then we are well protected, Berserker, I'm glad you could join us, and I hope General Kenobi will not be too long with his meditations." He said rising from his desk and walking around to focus his full attention on them.

Satine and Leo took a seat at the table with Satine heading the table while Nadia sat on her left, as the Governor moved behind his office bar "I've never known a Governor's office to come with a top shelf bar?" Leo said looking as the Governor mixed two drinks.

"This facility use to be a mining company's headquarters, the head foreman made sure his office was… well equipped." The Governor chuckled as he mixed the drinks.

"Someone is feeding misinformation directly to the Republic Senate, saying that the Deathwatch is taking over Mandalore." Satine said in worry, Vizsla looked at her then at Leo as she continued "Who stands to gain from these lies?" Satine asked him.

"Deathwatch, of course." Vizsla said easily, leaning over to pour the alcoholic beverage into a glass for Leo as well then, Leo looked at Satine who seemed to be consumed by her own worry. Vizsla gave Leo a look wondering if he'd want a drink and Leo gave a slight nod.

"They could not engineer all of this, the problem has clearly grown much larger than we thought." Satine said resting her forehead in her hand. "And I suspect some external force helped it along…" he said coming around the bar with the drinks and setting the three of them down as he sat opposite of Leo. When she saw the drink in front of Leo, Satine gave him a hard look.

She turned to him "Does your Master permit you to drink?"

Leo took the drink in his hand and looked at the colorful alcohol "All the time." He said quickly, taking a sip before she could stop him. Leo felt the liquor hit him instantly as his whole body relaxed "Delicious." He said.

"Thank you." Vizsla said, holding up his own drink.

"Hard to believe; it would have to be someone at the highest level of influence among the Separatists." Vizsla said skeptically.

"But why target me?" Satine asked him as Leo sipped his drink again. "You lead the Council of Neutral Systems; thus you threaten the Separatist goals." Vizsla replied easily, raising a glass to Satine in a slight show of respect. "Take it as a compliment; someone very powerful is working towards your downfall."

Leo put the drink down "What of you Padawan Rock, you must have some opinion on the situation?" The Governor asked him.

When both adults looked at the boy "It's not my place to judge, this is an internal matter for the people of Mandalore." Leo said.

"Oh come now, surely the Berserker must have something to say." Vizsla said, trying to get him to speak, Leo felt himself reaching for his drink but stopped.

"What do you think of the efforts of the Deathwatch to undermine the status quo?" The Governor asked him.

Leo looked at Satine who waited for the boy to speak "In what regard?" Leo asked the Governor.

"Take the attack today, the man would rather die than be taken prisoner much like the saboteur." The Governor said, something in Leo twitched hearing the Governor bring up the saboteur.

Leo eyed him closely "We never mentioned a saboteur."

The Governor sipped his drink casually "Oh, word travels fast in the Outer Rim I'm afraid, so as I was saying your thoughts on the bomber?"

Leo waited a moment to gather his thoughts "I think anyone who is willing to die for what the believe in, is worthy of respect." Leo said.

Vizsla suddenly looked at Leo with a much different way, his eyes were cold, calculating and his smile like a hyena about to cackle or a wolf on the verge of biting "Well said young one." He said toasting to him.

The Duchess then spoke up "Padawan Rock, what did the Governor mean when he called you Berseker?" She asked him.

"Forgive me duchess, I meant only to flatter the boy." Vizsla said apologetically "But I assume you heard the Song of Leo?" He asked, Leo looked up at him confused before the governor looked at him "Song of Leo?" He asked.

The governor smiled "Figure of expression, the Second Battle of Geonosis this exceptional young man, protected the entire Republic advance by defeating over a hundred Geonosian Warriors all by himself." The Governor praised him.

"Really and your master?" Satine asked him "Master Kenobi wasn't my Master at the time, he and his forces were pinned down a mile behind us." Leo said, creating an awkward silence.

"Then he is blessed to have you as a student indeed, tell me are you student of history?" The Governor asked getting up and walking over to his desk "I guess?" Leo replied.

Governor Vizsla came back holding a book with horned creatures skull on it "This is a book on the ancient Mandalorian warrior ways, I've been using it to try and detect what the Deathwatch's next move will be perhaps you would enjoy it." Tar said sliding the book over to Leo. He looked at the cover, it was leather bound except for the metal honred skull on the front "Thank you Governor, I don't know what to say."

"Think nothing of it, if we don't learn from the past we are doomed to repeat it." Governor Vizsla said taking a seat "Well said." The Duchess said toasting to him.

"General Kenobi's meditation is taking a rather long time," Vizsla said, cutting through the silence, a slight tone of tartness in his voice as he lightly twirled his drink in his glass.

Satine and Leo looked at one another without giving away what Obi-Wan was really up to "You know the Jedi, they never do anything by halves." Satine said, playing with her glass a little nervously and offering a small smile.

"Duchess, Padawan please acknowledge." Obi-Wan's sudden voice in Leo and the Duchess's ear.

"May I offer you another drink?" Vizsla asked Satine, raising his own glass.

"Yes…certainly." Satine said Leo looked at her and started to follow her lead.

"I'm in a bit of an awkward spot."Obi-Wan said into the two of their ears "I'm being held by the Deathwatch."

"Sorry Duchess, we're out of ice."Vizsla said apologetically as he picked up there drinks "Padawan Rock, can I top you off?"

"No thank you." Leo said pushing his drink away, "Sorry to hear that." Satine said with a smile speaking to two people at once.

The governor continued to talk "Perhaps we should begin dinner without General Kenobi." glancing between the duchess and Leo.

"There's a tracking function on your com links, follow it due east to my location."Obi-Wan ordered them.

Leo didn't say a word but the Duchess did covero for the both of them "I don't know if I can do that at the moment." Satine said with a small smile, hiding the action of touching the earpiece by making it look like she was nervously rubbing her neck.

"It's extremely urgent!" Obi-Wan said in a stress voice.

Vizsla looked confused by the Duchess's answer, leaning forward. "Are you not feeling well Duchess?"

Satine looked up at the Governor, a little startled. "Perhaps some fresh air would do me good, Padawan Rock will escort me I know your Master would certainly appreciate it." She said giving Leo a look that read on her face as 'Get up and follow me outside or your master will be sliced, canned and shipped into who knows where'.

"Take a speeder, it's rough terrain." Obi-Wan warned them into each of their ears.

"Are you sure you know the way around?" Vizsla asked doubtfully.

The two of them got up from "I'm sure I'll manage." Satine said before they walked out of the Governor's office, once they were a safe distance away from the dining room, the two broke into a run hurrying to the hanger without a word and activating their tracking functions. Leo hopped onto the speeder with Satine driving them to the coordinates they'd received speeding onwards to save Obi-Wan.

The sun set on Concordia, then landed outside what looked like an abandoned mine with a large camp and a dozen ships set up around it. Satine glanced around the deserted area around them, her eyes narrowing at the door to the mine off to their left.

"Where exactly are you?" Satine asked, contacting Obi-Wan quietly crouching as she carefully made her way into the entrance of the mine "Could you be more specific, Master?" Leo asked him,

"Listen for the loud metallic clanging sound."Obi-Wan responded sarcastically. "That would be the machine about to smash me into bits!"

Leo and Satine ran across the factory till they found Obi-Wan on a factory conveyor belt, there were stones in anti gravity pods being crushed into refined metal before shoved off. The two of them ran up to the nearby controls and with a few easy clicks, she tripped the alarm, glancing around before she gestured for Leo to follow rushing forward and down the hall on their right.

Just as Obi-Wan had said, they could hear loud clunks coming down the hall and the sound was growing the closer they came. Satine suddenly dropped back into a crouch, hovering in the shadows of the room behind a ramp, Satine and Leo waited until the sound of running footsteps was relatively far away to get up and enter the room.

When they peeked around the first thing they noticed was Leo's master was held upside down in some sort of orange force field making slow progress down an assembly line that was meant to crush rocks of some rather hard minerals. After that the two of them could hear more noise in the form of rocks getting ground into near fine powder.

"Well it certainly took you long enough!" Obi-Wan stated as the two sprinted past him towards the controls.

"You know, we haven't saved you yet." Satine admitted, Leo looked at the controls holding Obi-Wan upside down over the conveyor belt before he took out his lightsaber but dropped it.

Obi-Wan noticed his fumbling as he picked up the lightsaber "Hurry!"

"Be patient." Satine snapped at him as she climbed the ladder towards the controls.

"I happen to be running a bit short on patience right now!" Obi-Wan said, his voice rising sharply very close to a shout as the machine and Obi-Wan got closer about to fully embrace on his demise. Leo turned on his lightsaber and tried to slice the metal but his lightsaber bounced off it like it was nothing "What!?" Leo yelled.

"It's beskar iron, lightsaber proof." Satine said "Well isn't that convenient." Leo barked as everyone was shouting.

"Satine!" Obi-Wan called out. "Turn the machine off!"

"I'm trying." Satine snapped "Satine!"Obi-Wan shouted as he came within crushing distance.

"There!" Satine called out and the entire system went down, Obi-Wan instinctively recoiled when he saw the thick metal plates rushing to squish him into a grease smear came to a halt. Satine rushed down from her place by the controls, to help Obi-Wan up alongside his padawan. Obi-Wan took one sniff of the air "Leo… have you been drinking?"

Leo squeaked out a quick response "... I had a little."

"We'll talk on that later, we've got company." Two of the Deathwatch came bursting out of the doorway to see the new intruders, one of the soldier activated a jet pack attached to his armor and flew straight at them, he tackled Leo and picked him up trying to wrap his hands around the boys neck as the other buzzed right past her towards Satine.

Obi-Wan tackled the Mando before he could get to her as Leo was dropped from the top of the factory, Leo summersaulted through the air before he landed lightsaber at the ready. The Mandalorian raisedh is arm and out of it shot a breath of fire from a flamethrower, Leo raisedh is own hand and the flames hit an invisible wall of the force. Obi-Wan and the other mando fought hand to hand before Obi-Wan smashed his helmet into a nearby crate. When he saw Leo being overwhelmed by the flames Obi-Wan raised one hand to the still flying Mandalorian and made him fall right out of his jet pack straight into the floor out cold but still breathing due to his armor. Leo looked over at Obi-Wan who gave him a wink and a smile, much to Sabine's disapproval.

"For a man sworn to peace, you take an unseemly pleasure in the injuries of others." Satine said with distaste.

Obi-Wan started to run to the exit followed by Leo and Satine "For a woman sworn to non-violence, you don't seem troubled that I could have been killed back there." Obi-Wan responded firmly.

Satine turned away from Obi-Wan as they fled into one of the access corridors. "And yet I still haven't heard any thanks."

"Well, you certainly haven't changed much."Obi-Wan admitted standing right in front of a door and when he opened said door they all froze on the other side wasa Deathwatch commando standing right in front of them. Obi-Wan was quick to react and took the man down with two punches and a round house kick. Satine ran past him heading to a left as Leo stood behind Obi-Wan

"This is not the way we came in!" He called out before the two jedi followed her outside of the mine to an elevator which they hurried into "We can't go back the way we came they'll surely have the exit covered, this is another way." She told them.

Leo looked up at Obi-Wan "Master, what happen to your lightsaber?"

"Taken by the Deathwatch I'm afraid, a poor example of a Master I'm making." Obi-Wan jested as the elevator rose up. They all froze to see the mine had been turned into a camp of some kind, a series of barracks were established in the mining pit with five mandalorian cruisers all set up surrounding them were also heavily armed and armored mandalorians. Leo spotted three mando's beneath them who looked up to see the trespassers. The three soldiers started blasting at them immediately, Leo held his ground covering Obi-Wan who hurried Satine behind one of the crates "Cover us Leo."

"Yes Master." Leo replied as Obi-Wan rapidly pressed the button beside them that would let them go down the elevator back into the mine. Suddenly the sound of a screaming missed flew directly overhead heading straight for them.

"Move!"Obi-Wan commanded them both, pulling Satine to safety behind a nearby bolder.

"We'll have to stand and fight." Obi-Wan said firmly and looked at Satine "Or in your case, just stand."

Obi-Wan used the force to take the weapon of the Deathwatch soldier he had knocked out not too long ago to his side and take aim at three Deathwatch men that were making rapid progress towards the three on their jetpacks. "Do we have a plan Master?" Leo asked as Obi-Wan took aim, looking down the sights of his blaster pistol to shoot one of the mandalorians in the jet pack thesudden explosion sent all three of them back shaking they very ground.

He stood straight with a satisfied smirk, blaster firmly in hand "Blasters, so uncivilized."

Suddenly a mandolorian who survived the blast attacked Obi-Wan from behind knocking him flat on his back. The man took aim, ready to deliver a killing shot, Leo came to just in time to see him "Master!" The mandalorian turned his blaster on Leo who held up his hand in an instant the Mandalorian gagged, he grabbed at his throat like an invisible noose was being tightened around his neck. Satine covered her mouth in shock as Obi-Wan's eyes got wide "Leo stop-"

SNAP

The Mandalorian's neck broke "What have you done…" Satine said running out to catch the dead man in her arms.

"He was… he was going to kill you I had to act." Leo said looking at Obi-Wan who was to stunned for wards "Where did you learn that?" He asked the boy.

"I-" "Is this what you teach your student?" Satine snapped at him "Satine now is not the time. Before they could argue again a blaster shot rang out from across the mine, all three heads turned to see four Mandalorian warriors approaching them one with a cape leading them and on his hip Leo could see Obi-Wans lightsaber. The shot came from his own blaster pistol smoking after killing one of his own men.

"I think the leader of the Deathwatch is gifting us with his presence." Obi-Wan admitted seeing them approach, he took lead walking out in front.

Leo was about to follow but Obi-Wan raisedh is hand "Stay with the Duchess."

The padawan didn't answer he only knodded and got in front of the woman, staying close to Satine for protection. When the leader of the Deathwatch finally was in front of them he lifted off his helmet to reveal Governor Pre Vizsla himself.

"Governor!" Satine gasped in shock, standing straight up from her position behind the Padawan.

"For generations my ancestors fought proudly as warriors against the Jedi., now, that woman tarnishes the very name Mandalorian." Vizsla said firmly scowling at her.

There was a moment of silence, the wind blowing the Governor's light blue cape behind him he turned his eyes to Obi-Wan and spoke again "Defend her if you will!" Vizsla declared tossing Obi-Wan his lightsaber.

Obi-Wan caught it easily without even looking at the weapon and his gaze focused on the man in front of him. Vizsla tossed his cape aside and reached back and activated a jet black lightsaber that had a faint glow of white around the edge. Leo looked at the black blade it's unusual hilt and hue "Is that…"

"This lightsaber was stolen from your Jedi Temple by my ancestors during the fall of the Old Republic." Vizsla said. "Since then many Jedi have died upon its blade…prepare yourself to join them!" He pointed the black lightsaber at Obi-Wan who simply narrowed his eyes and was ready for the fight.

The duel happened immediately, with Obi-Wan catching the black lightsabers glowing white edge on his blue one. Obi-Wan parried then struck again dodging nad blocking almost everyone of the Governors strikes "We need to do something before one of them gets killed." Satine said.

Leo watched Obi-Wan who calmly evaded another blow, Vizsla on the other hand started to get visibly frustrated. "No, Obi-Wan isn't trying to kill him."

"And the governor?" Satine asked as Vizsla suddenly leapt forward with a battle cry, bringing his lightsaber down on Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan grit his teeth, blocking the strange blade with his own normal blue blade before Vizsla continued his assault. The sword made a sharp sound of a jet when he swung it, then Obi-Wan sent Vizsla flying with a force push. Vizsla growled, shaking off the men that tried to help him off the ground before glaring at Obi-Wan before he charged again. However, Vizsla was unbalanced and Obi-Wan was bound and determined, deeply immersed in the Force and his own jedi training.

Obi-Wan kneed him in the face, kicked him in the chest and kicked the lightsaber out of his hand in three sharp movements. Vizsla came back easily, launching at an upwards angle to kick Obi-Wan in the gut, give him a hook to the face and then sent him flying backwards with another strong blow. The Jedi Master skidded to a stop several meters away, his lightsaber deactivating while Vizsla ran back to his fallen weapon when he had it the mandalorain actiavted his jet pack and Obi-Wan pushed himself to his feet, his eyes narrowed on Vizsla in determination.

As Vizsla readied his black lightsaber for a dramatic downward strike, Obi-Wan launched himself into the air, ducking under the swing Vizsla tried to deliver and landed three firm punches on the man's face before he suddenly kicked Vizsla back down to the ground, landing gracefully a few paces away.

Vizsla pushed himself up, glaring hatefully at Obi-Wan as he stood. "Warriors, finish him!" The three Mandalorians that had flanked Vizsla stepped forward in a straight line, bending over to release missiles.

Obi-Wan both moved to avoid the three missiles, narrowly avoiding getting hit, it wasn't the end of it though as the missiles came fight back around for them. "Master…" Leo warned slowly tracking the missiles progress with her eyes.

Obi-Wan nodded slowly, backing away towards the broken lift. "Satine, Leo!" They ran towards the lift with Obi-Wan's hand held out for Satine to take. She practically jumped into his arms as they leapt into the lift with the missiles exploded above them not too long after they jumped down the shaft, falling in a sprawl on the floor below.

Obi-Wan launched himself a little farther, shielding Satine from any falling fire with his own body and Leo tumbling across the rock. The young padawan rolled onto his back to look up at the smoldering debris from the explosion in the mineshaft safe front he Deathwatch for now.

Sitting up Leo rubbed his arm "So, did General Skywalker ever get it this good?" Leo asked sarcastically

"This is just day one Padawan" Obi-Wan said tiredly getting up and helping him to his feet, he next turned his gaze back to Satine almost immediately, helping the woman up tenderlylooking into his eyes, Leo felt like he wasn't necessarily needed so he turned on his lightsaber to look around the mine as they spoke. Eventually the three reached the spot they'd entered the mine making their way slowly to the speeders.

"I suppose we're even now." Satine said gently as they approached the speeders.

Obi-Wan raised an inquiring eyebrow at Satine. "Oh, how so?"

"I saved your life, you saved mine." Satine said, smiling secretly to herself as she approached her speeder -Wan leaned against his speeder, propping himself up with his good arm as he watched her.

"Yes, well, mine was the more daring of the two rescues." Obi-Wan said with a small smile of confidence. Satine smiled slightly before she shook her head and got back on her speeder, "Come we must inform the people of Concordia of the Governors treachery."

_MANDALORE_

_Palace of the Duchess_

Night had fallen on Mandalore, the city of glass cubes was illuminated across the dome shape of Sundari's cityscape, as the Duchess slept both Leo and Obi-Wan were awake enguard if any Deathwatch assassins would dare strike at her even here. Leo had walked out onto a balcony overlooking the a large square that was lightly filled with Mandalorian people.

"You did well today Leo." Obi-Wan said coming out to join him.

Leo turned still holding the balcony edge "Master?"

"Albeit the incident with the Mandalorian warrior you killed." Obi-Wan pointed out hands behind his back.

Leo avoided his gaze "He was going to kill you."

"That may be, but I could feel your thoughts when you killed him the anger you felt, its not something a Jedi should feel when using the force." Obi-Wan said compelled to be a teacher at the moment.

"So you're not mad, I killed him?" Leo asked.

Sighing Obi-Wan shook his head "No I am not, but I am disappointed in your methods. Where did you learn to use the force like that?"

Leo didn't answer him at first "If you can't trust your Master, who can you trust Leo?"

"I saw it in a tapestry in a book Master Nu gave me, a picture of Sith Warrior using the force to choke a jedi from a distance." Leo confessed to him.

Obi-Wan stroked his beard "As I suspected."

"I don't understand?" Leo asked him.

Giving the boy his full attention Obi-Wan took a breath "The force the Jedi use is never to be used in anger or as a means to kill, it's the fundamental principle which separates us from the Sith."

"But what about using to save a life?" Leo asked him "By taking another?" Obi-Wan asked him shooting holes through his argument "No Master…"

Obi-Wan could feel the anxiousness within him and rested his gloved hand on Leo's shoulder "Take heart Leo, you are still only a Padawan there is no shame in learning from our mistakes, it's how we grow as individuals."

"Thank you Master, I promise I won't do something like that again." Leo said smiling up at his new master "That's all I can ask Padawan, that's all I can ask now come we must return to our guard duty before the Queen departs in the morning."

Leo followed him "Wait, we aren't sleeping?"

"No." Obi-Wan replied.

_The Following Morning_

As the sun rose Obi-Wan and Leo were escorting the Duchess on one of the ports waiting for the Duchess Satine and several other delegates were going to be leaving on the same ship, a towering red and white senatorial luxury yacht Starcraft." Obi-Wan said as the Duchess approached them with Prime Minister Almec at her side flanked by her royal guards. Satine was once again wearing her royal outfit and looked as if nothing had happened. Leo yawned heavily before Obi-Wan nudged him to stay vigilant even as they were leaving.

"Well if Pre Vizsla fled, we have no way of knowing how widespread the Deathwatch really is." Satine's Prime Minister said beside her.

As the jedi walked beside them "It's obvious the Separatists are supporting the Deathwatch." Obi-Wan admitted.

"I disagree!" Satine said coldly. "I told you I wanted to stay out of this conflict." She almost barked at him.

"Given the current situation, I'm afraid that may no longer be possible." Obi-Wan said softly trying to explain the situation but the Duchess didn't seem to be having any of it.

"I thought you of all people would understand my position on this matter!" Satine said angrily. "I will never be a part of this war!"

With that, Satine turned and made her way angrily to the ramp of the large ship they were going to be taking to Coruscant.

Obi-Wan's shoulders sagged slightly as Anakin and Ahsoka followed by a group of clones from the ship. "Reporting for escort duty, General." Anakin said.

"Anakin, Ahsoka am I glad to see you two." Obi-Wan said with a wave of tiredness in his voice.

"You both sound tired." Anakin said with a smirk.

"The peaceful ways of the Locals wore us out a bit."Obi-Wan said as he walked toward the ship with Leo following, Ahsoka and Anakin did as well with Anakin taking his side beside his old master.

Anakin looked back at Leo with a smile "So Rusty how was your first mission with my old Master?"

"It was-" Leo cut himself off yawning "A lot to do." Leo replied following them into the ship for a voyage of temptation.


	26. Voyage of Temptation

**Chapter 26**

**Voyage of Temptation**

Aboard the Coronet as it flew through hyperspace, Leo was sitting on a bench on one of the Cornets skydecks reading the Book of Mandalore that Vizsla had given him, already half way through it he suddenly got his comlink on his wrist to beep "Rusty, Master Kenobi and Skywalker want us on security detail for the Duchess." Ahsoka said.

"I'll be right there." He said walking back to his room to leave the book and as he came out Ahsoka was already waiting "Thought you needed sleep?" She asked him.

Leo shrugged at her "Couldn't, too tired to sleep."

She only rolled her eyes as they headed to the dining room, eventually Leo and Ahsoka were later attending the seven delegates who had accompanied the Duchess of Mandalore aboard her private yacht. The delegates were joined by Prince Tal Merrik and Senators Orn Free Taa, Onaconda Farr, and Kin Robb, with a few others. Standing guard at the door as the Duchess spoke was Ahsoka and Leo.

"You get enough sleep?" Ahsoka asked him.

"A few hours, much better." He whispered listening to the Duchess.

"The Senate cannot bully us into joining this ridiculous war." The Duchess declared from a lofty bed sized seat at the end of her throne room. It had a giant green pillow for her to lay on as she was fanned by two service droids and protected by two of her Royal Guard "Duchess doesn't care much for the war huh?" Ahsoka whispered to him.

He leaned in "Or for Master Kenobi either."

"What will become of Democracy if we do not stand fast in the face of such blatant threats and abuse of power." She said to the audience around her.

That's when then Senator Kin Robb spoke up "But Duchess, as this war persists we must do something?"

"I do, we oppose it lest we subject more innocent lives to its horrors take these two Padawans for example." The Duchess gestured to Leo and Ahsoka "uh oh." Ahsoka grumbled.

"Padawans, step forward." The Duchess ordered and they obeyed.

The Duchess continued to speak "Among the innumerable atrocities we have sent children to the battlefield due to our failures."

"Duchess surely you cannot blame us all for this situation?" Prince Merrak said as the Duchess turned to him "I do, regardless of the religious dogma of the Jedi children should not be soldiers."

Leo and Ahsoka both shared an awkward glance before the last person they expected came to their defense "Duchess if I may be so bold?" Senator Ta said approaching her throne.

The Duchess gave a wave of her hand so he could speak, Senator Ta held up his hand with the other behind his back "I would not dismiss the deeds of these two brave Jedi so easily, why it was not that long ago my own people suffered at the hands of this war." He said, bowing his head giving a moment of silence for the dead. Leo watched the fat twi'lek raise his head "It was through the sacrifice of many brave heroes, and through no small effort of their own that my people are free to this day and continue to fight for that freedom."

Ta turned around "Padawan Ahsoka Tano, where even her own Master failed to break the Separatist Blockade defeated an entire armada of Separatist ships with only one cruiser and fought on to let hope shine through our skies without fear of Vulture droids." Ta said before turning to Leo.

"And who could forget the heroism of Leo Rock." Ta said turning around "It may seem hard to believe, but that brave young man was able to tame the fiercest of Ryloth beast the mighty Doashim, with it he led the charge across the plasma bridge to free out Capital and scaled the great tower itself to save a kidnapped girl from a nefarious Sith Lord." Ta said before he came around and put his sauce fingered hands on both Padawans shoulders.

"Yet they amazed me still when the infamous Bounty Hunter Cad Bane took myself and some of the Senators here hostage, these two Jedi were ready to defend the Republic as their order has done for a thousand years." Senator Ta said squeezing their shoulders.

The Duchess looked at the two of them, Ahsoka smiled up at her showing the praise as well received and the right earned. But Leo's face glazed over as if he were ashamed to hear such things.

"I've heard of such exploits, but let us ask what their Masters think, Padawans if you will summon General Kenobi to us." She asked.

Down below Obi-Wan and Anakin were briefing clone troopers on the situation at hand. There were over a dozen clones gathered in front of the Jedi with Rex the highest ranking clone in the room, the room they were in was the cargo room surrounded by large boxes on shelves of metal stretching over them.

"You know your Marching orders"Obi-Wan said. "The safety of the duchess satine Is of the utmost importance, the death watch will stop at nothing to assassinate her before she pleads her case to the senate."

"The Deathwatch may be backed by the separatists, so stay sharp."Anakin said beside his master as the clones all listened intently.

Anakin looked at R2-D2, his trusty astromech droid. "Artoo, use your scanners to probe for any suspicious droid Activity?"

Artoo beeped in a negative tone "Anything else, sir?" Rex asked.

"No, that will be all."Obi-Wan replied dismissing the soldiers, as they were free the clone troopers walked away.

Obi-Wan answered his comlink beeping, "Yes?"Obi-Wan asked as Anakin listened just in case "Master, the duchess and her retinue requests your presence" Leo reported.

"Very well." Obi-Wan replied sound exhausted at the idea before he turned to enter the nearby elevator with Anakin "I sense some anxiety from you about the duchess."Anakin said as the elevator started to rise up through the Cornet.

"She couldn't be in safer hands, Leo and Ahsoka are with her." Anakin added trying to ease Obi-Wan's fears. .

"Yes, I know."Obi-Wan said stroking his beard as he usually did but this time it was more frantic like a scratch to an itch that wouldn't go away.

"Then why..."Anakin started "Nevermind, It's all in the past." Obi-Wan said stopping him fro pushing the issue.

"Oh, so you're close to her?"Anakin asked with a smirk "I knew her, a long time ago." Obi-Wan snapped with a hard glare. His old master's frantic and off balance gave Anakin small smirk on Anakin's face with growing amusement.

Meanwhile back in the cargo bay, two clone troopers were walking through the tall halls of crates making sure the sector was secure "All secure here Mixer." One of them said.

"Let's move on to the next Sector, Redeye." Mixer suggested once they were out of sight an eerie whirring came from one of the crates revealing to be a spider droid, an assassin model.

As Obi-Wan and Anakin arrived on the Duchess's level, they approached the guarded door to her audience hall to see the Duchess talking on in the name of peace as Leo and Ahsoka listened with the rest of the Senators who were being served drinks "War is intolerable!" Satine stares."We have been deceived into thinking that we must be a part of it. I say the moment we committed to fighting, we already lost." She said.

"Excuse me, your grace, are you suggesting we oppose the war on Humanitarian grounds?" Merrik asked, taking a drink from a tray.

"I'm going to oppose it as an affront to life itself." Satine said confidently "As the designated regent of 1,500 systems, I speak for thousands of worlds that have urged me to allow them to stay neutral in this war." She proclaimed for all to say as Anakin stopped just short of the Padawans "How are you two holding up?" He asked.

Ahsoka sighed "I'll take Temple guard duty over this." Ahsoka whinnied "Copy that." Leo said beside her as Obi-Wan walked straight past them.

"And yet some might argue that the strongest defense is a swift and decisive offense."Obi-Wan stated getting the rooms attention.

Rather then Satine's usual retort or snide remark she softly smiled seeing him "You are quite the general, now aren't you, Master Kenobi?" Satine asked.

"Forgive me for interrupting, your highness." Obi-Wan firmly said bowing. "I meant no disrespect."

"Really?" Satine asked with a pause giving Leo a sense there was more to come. "Senators, I presume you are acquainted with the collection of half-truths and hyperbole known as Obi-wan Kenobi?"

Again Obi-Wan bowed to the senators and delegates before him before rising "Your highness is too kind."Obi-Wan admitted.

"You're right, I am."Satine said twisting her word, Anakin cocked his head along with the Ahsoka who leaned over to Leo "This just got interesting…" she said.

"Allow me to introduce my fellow jedi Anakin Skywalker and you've already acquainted yourself with his Padawan learner Ahsoka Tanpo."Obi-Wan said.

"Your servant, my lady."Anakin said coming up beside Obi-Wan.

"I remember a time when jedi we're not generals, but peacekeepers,"Satine admitted.

"We are protectors, your majesty, yours at the moment." Anakin explained "We're fighting for peace." He added adamantly.

"What an amusing contradiction." Satine said as the robot maid gave her a drink now.

"What my fellow Jedi means is that we are acting at the behest of your highness to protect you from the Deathwatch and the Separatists, who don't share your neutral point of view." Obi-Wan stated as he stepped forward getting a bit closer.

The Duchess took a sip of wine before her head whipped towards him like a viper "I asked for no such thing." Satine hissed.

"That may be so, but a majority of your court did." Obi-Wan said gesturing around the venue A few of the Senators looked at each other.

"I do not remember you as one to hide behind excuses."Satine said putting her drink down and coming down from her pillow heading straight for Obi-Wan "I do not remember you as one to shrink from responsibilities."Obi-Wan stated as the other jedi watched wide eyed. "Okay this is way better than staying at the temple." Ahsoka said

"I am certain we all agree."Senator Taa said, going, between them. "Duchess Satine and General Kenobi have proven there are two sides to every dilemma."

"Indeed."Merrik said amused just as much as the Padawans and former Padawa.

"Now, in regard to the senate Vote, we think-" Senator Taa started "I think a multitude makes discord, not good counsel." Satine interrupted brazenly turning back to her throne.

"Right again, my lady." Senator Taa said up to her.

It was hard to tell who was more agitated the Duchess or the man she was focusing her anger towards "There may be two sides to every dilemma, but the duchess only favors hers." Obi-Wan grumbled looking at Anakin and the two padawans as he walked back to them.

Down below in the cargo hold Red Eye, Mixer and Artoo looked around the next sector with their eyes peeled for anything. Artoo abruptly stopped and beeped up at the two clones while flashing a light down the south quadrant "I'll check out the south Quadrant." Red Eye said over to his brother.

"Careful over there, it's dark," Mixer warned, giving a spooky voice to try an unnerve the clone.

"Yeah, very funny, mixer." Red Eye said more irritated then afraid as he walked away.

But when he was a few feet away, he saw Artoo who just beeped at him and rolled away. "Droids." Red Eye muttered having spent his whole life fighting them, he kept searching the cargo hold when suddenly the whatever was in the crate that had opened pounced out of the shadows killing him, the first of many victims for its mission.

Meanwhile in the Duchess's atrium the heated conversation was starting to spark up into a fiery argument between the Duchess and Obi-Wan. "A republic military presence is the only sure defense against the Separatists."Obi-Wan said determined to convince the Duchess.

"Even extremists can be reasoned with." Satine added as she stood up almost yelling it..

"Perhaps, if one can be heard over the clanking of their battle droids." Obi-Wan said sarcastically with a sharp glare, the Duchess Satine rolled her eyes before approaching him putting her drink down again. Leo's eyes got wide "My money's on the Duchess." Anakin whispered.

"The sarcasm of a soldier." She accused.

"The delusion of a dreamer."Obi-Wan objected, the two adults glared at each other like school children bickering over some recess argument. .

"Duchess, Master Jedi, It's been a long trip." Prince Merrik stated "I think we could all use a little rest and refreshment."

Senator Ta also chimed in "Hear, hear, now let us put politics aside until after dinner."

"Fine!"Obi-Wan and Satine replied at the same moment, then the Duchess suddenly pushed Obi-Wan away as she went out of the room that had gone absolutely silent.

Beneath their feet another storm was brewing, Mixer was looking around and saw no threats. "Myside's secure, what have you got, Red Eye?" He asked his brother but all he got in response was static.

"Red Eye, you copy?" Mixer asked, his new answer was static but an eerie whirring sound and started screaming as the assassin probe caught him on the head.

Above them as the Duchess's entourage made their way to the dining room, Anakin and Obi-Wan trailed behind them with their two padawans. The hallways of the cornet were just as extravagant as its exterior, royal crimson carpeted floors with blue tinted porcelain walls around them adorned with the Duchess's governments regalia "You and Satine have a history?"Anakin asked.

"An extended mission, when I was younger."Obi-Wan replied "Master Qui-Gon and I spent a year on Mandalore protecting the duchess from insurgents who had threatened her world."

"Wow." Ahsoka said smiling next to Leo who was his usual quiet self, they broke off from the main group and started to head to an elevator before going inside. The two masters stopped "Stay with the Duchess, we will be with you shortly." Obi-Wan ordered them "Of course Master." Leo replied.

Once they were in a more private setting Obi-wan continued the conversation with Anakin. .

"They sent bounty hunters after us."Obi-Wan said remembering as it were yesterday "We were always on the run, living hand-to-mouth, never sure what the next day would bring."

"Sounds romantic."Anakin commented, all that gave him was an a sarcastic look from Obi-Wan, when they then came out of the elevator to the next level the two men made their way to their own private quarters.

"A civil war killed most of Satine's people, hence her aversion to violence, when she returned, she took Rebuilding her world alone."Obi-Wan said to his close friend.

This caught Anakin off as it didn't sound much like his Master to just leave someone in need "You didn't stay to help her?" He asked.

"That would have been problematic."Obi-Wan confessed, as they walked into their private room before he continued Obi-Wan used the force to bring a chair to sit on. "My duty as a jedi demanded I be elsewhere."Obi-Wan said.

"Demanded?"Anakin asked. "But it's obvious you had feelings for her, surely that would affect your decision."

"Oh, it did."Obi-Wan sighed looking up at the young Jedi. "I live by the jedi code."

"Of course as Master Yoda says, 'A jedi must not form attachments'."Anakin quoted. Obi-Wan nodded in agreement bowing his head as old feelings were rising to the surface "Yes… but he usually leaves out the undercurrent of remorse." Before they could continue the conversation his comlink started beeping.

"Yes, Captain?" Obi-Wan asked looking at it glad to have a distraction.

"General, something's wrong with Skywalker's astromech." Rex said. "Scared him a real good, sir, I've also lost contact with two of my men."

"I'm on my way down to assist you." Obi-Wan replied standing up.

"I'll go, master." Anakin said stopping him "If there's something dangerous down there, the clones and I can handle it."

The Cornets Dining Room matched the overall decors of the rest of the ship, it's only difference was a grand table with seats for all on each side, the Duchess sitting at its head and on the far end both Padawans sitting across from one another closet to the door. Behind the Duchess was a large port side window showing the blue swirling vortex of hye space for a scenic view while serviced droids brought out food. The smells of the delicacies of 1,500 tickled the noses of the padwans and one Senator in particular.

"Deep-fried nuna legs." Senator Taa remarked, licking his lips. "Mmm, delicious."

As the food was set on each table Leo pushed the droids away before they could put any food down or pour him wine "Not eating Padawan Rock?" Prince Merrik asked him from across the table "I've lost my appetite."

"Well politics can tend to do that am I right?" He joked earning him some much very needed laughter in the room.

Even Satine smiled "Indeed it is, Prince Merrik, Padawans if I may what is your opinion on the subject of the war?"

"Opinion?" Ahsoka asked not liking where this was going, she gave a look to Leo who was silent "Yes, surely as the Jedi are fighting a war you must have some thought on it."

"Well its simple really…" Ahsoka said as Leo rolled his eyes knowing where this was going "The Separatists have to be stopped, their marching over every world they find if someone doesn't do it we're all in trouble." She said.

"If only it were that simple, do you know why the Separatists alliance formed?" Satine asked her.

Ahsoka gave her a vacant look "Because Count Dooku and people like Nute Gunray created a droid army," Ahsoka said as Leo kicked her in the foot and whispered "shutup."

"Many dear and close friends who joined the Separatists would say the Droid Army was necessary to stop the corruption of the Republic from spreading to their systems." Satine lecture before the door opened and Obi-Wan walked into save them from the Duchess once again.

"I beg your pardon, Senators." He said politely. "Our men are investigating a situation below decks, I respectfully ask you to wait here until it is settled."

The Duchess and Obi-Wan immediately locked eyes "General Kenobi, please sit and join us we're just discussing the war with your padawans."

"Oh?" Obi-Wan asked looking at the padawans as a droid brought up a chair for him to sit in, it was placed opposite of Satine on the far end of the table. The safest for everyone when those two were furthest apart.

The Duchess nodded "Yes, Padawan Tano seems to share your viewpoint that the Separatists must be fought on the battlefield not with words, yet your own Padawan is unusually silent while you are so vocal." The Duchess said looking to Leo, Obi-Wan did too along with the rest of the table to hear him speak.

Leo didn't want to talk bout opened his opened his mouth regardless "If your asking my opinion on the war and the politics around, I don't have an answer Duchess everyday I see more and learn more but one thing I've learned to be true is that when don't stand and fight for what we believe in we've already lost."

"But is fighting the best option?" She asked, looking at Obi-Wan expecting to hear an answer like Obi-Wans "... no." Leo replied.

His remark earned him a vigil of intrigued glances and looks none more than the Duchess "So you disagree with your Master?" "I never said that." Leo said directly to the Duchess's question.

Bellow the dinning hall and debates of politics, Anakin exited the elevator into the cargo hold to see the clones had all gathered around Artoo who was shaking like a frightened dog "All right, men what's the problem, I'm missing dinner?" Anakin said crossing his arms.

"We're not sure yet, sir, but there's still no sign of Mixer and Redeye." Cody answered next to Rex whilst Artoo beeped nervously.

"What's the matter, buddy?"Anakin asked, looking concerned at his droid Artoo beeped a response rapidly trying to explain.

"I know, I know."Anakin replied trying to calm the freight ended droid. "But I'm here now, use your scanners to see if something's out of place." Later Artoo lead Anakin and the clone troopers to a large box that was open and empty.

"Well, what've we here?" Rex asked. "Looks like the contents of this box are missing." Another clone said looking inside.

"Or it got up and walked away." Anakin suggested turning to the clones. "All right, fan out, separate squads, I'll contact Obi-Wan."

Upstairs the Duchess continued to poke at Leo's ever evasive answers "But you just said that fighting wasn't the best option? She asked him, Leo gripped the armrest of his chair tightly "But it's the only option right now, if not for the Jedi and the Clones the leaders of the Separatist Army would have already conquered the Galaxy."

"If perhaps the Jedi and Clones weren't so eager for their days of glory in the Old Republic there would be no need for armies." The Duchess said as Obi-Wan's comlink was beeping.

"Please excuse me, Ahsoka." He said as he stood up from his seat and walked to the corner of the room, Ahsoka followed him as Leo continued to hold the Duchess's attention.

"Anakin, what have you found?"

"There's a large open container and the contents are missing and I still have two men unaccounted for."Anakin reported.

"That's not good."Obi-Wan said."Keep things quiet, the padawans and I will stay with the senators."

"Got it."Anakin replied.

Back at the table the Duchess had seemed to unnerve Leo before he gave a smirk and looked at his empty plate "Something amusing Padawan Rock, perhaps a crude joke your Master taught you?" She asked, looking at Obi-Wan as he and Ahsoka rejoined the group.

"Nothing of the sort Duchess, tell me have you been to Ryloth recently?" He asked, raising his head, cracking his knuckles under the desk looking to Senator Ta "I haven't had the pleasure." The Duchess said.

"Senator Ta, how many of your people were slaughtered when they went to surrender… peacefully?" Leo asked looking back at the Duchess, Senator Ta who had his face half stuffed swallowed "Uh ah… well… we were unable to determine a final count but the numbers are hard to imagine." Ta said not wanting to talk about it.

Duchess Satine could feel the man's pain in his words "My sympathies Senator Ta your people have suffered a great injustice."

Leo kept his glare on the Duchess "Injustice?" Leo said "Try a damnation, those that survived were enslaved driven from their homes, their culture taken by Wat Tambor's greed and those like General Syndulla's men deserve more than your sympathy Duchess." Leo said his voice starting to rise.

"Padawan, that's enough." Obi-Wan said beside him, Leo was about to say more but he dutifully obeyed his master.

Obi-Wan leaned forward "I have to agree with my padawan, the war on Ryloth caused a great suffering for the Twi'leks, there we saw a loss of life and destruction we hadn't dreamed and it would have continued if not for Republic intervention."

"And what about occupation?" The Duchess asked "There is no such occupation, the Jedi and Clone troopers are welcome on Ryloth under the command of Cham Syndulla." Senator Ta said looking at Leo and Obi-Wan.

Below the decks, Artoo started beeping to his owner. "What's up? Did you find something?"Anakin asked.

Artoo led Anakin to another part and they found Redeye coming out of the shadows "There you are, Red Eye, where have you been?"Anakin asked "You've had us all worried."

Red Eye didn't reply and Anakin noticed that something was amiss his legs were limp like he was being held up like a puppet or a distraction. "Red Eye?"Anakin asked and then activated his lightsaber. Suddenly Anakin spotted the glowing red eyes of an assassin droid, it through Redeyes corpse at them and charged the jedi and clones. Anakin slashed one the spider probe's leg as Rex and the Clone Troopers came and started firing at it. It jumped from side to side on the cargo bay shelves before they were able to shoot it down. But then Anakin spotted another Assassin Probe heading to the lift.

"The lift!" He warned the clones, just before they could stop it, the Assassin Probe headed straight to the next level of the dinning room.

In the Dining Room, all three of the Jedi "Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Leo, there's assassin probes down here."Anakin stated."One made it up the lift."

"We'll try to hold the others here."Obi-Wan replied all three jedi took out their lightsabers as two of Satines royal guards ran to the door when it burst open with the assassin droid coming at it. It was a gigantic spider like machine with glowing red eyes targeting the jedi, it took out Satine's two bodyguards like they were nothing. Then went on the table to approach Satine and the guests, but Obi-Wan and the two padawans immediately went at it, both Leo and Ahsoka cut off its leg as Obi-Wan jumped onto its head driving his lightsaber through it and destroyed its central core.

Bellow the decks the clones and Anakin were looking over the droid "There might be one left."Anakin said. "Let's spread out and find it."

"Watch it!"Cody warned when he saw the droid open ups it head and suddenly hundreds of smaller four legged assassin probes came out of the larger ones. They had orb bodies with red eyes and four legs scurrying around the floor. Anakin activated his lightsaber, while the clone troopers took out their blasters to take them down. They swarmed over any clone to close to the horde of probe droids.

In the Dining Room they were suffering from the small assassin probes coming out of the larger probe, Obi-Wan and the two padawans activated their lightsabers to attack them. The senators and delegates ran behind the three jedi as Satine reached into her robe taking out a small deactivator pistol to destroy some of them.

"They're everywhere!" Leo growled, slashing a few and watching his steps, Obi-Wan and Satine were back to back. Ahsoka did the same cutting the jumping ones up and cutting them in half.

"Do you always carry a deactivator?" Obi-Wan asked. "Just because I'm a pacifist doesn't I mean I won't defend myself." Satine stated.

"Now you sound like a jedi."Obi-Wan said as she blasted the spider droids like they were real insects. When all of them were either sliced or deactivated, none of the Senators weren't unharmed.

Bellow the party Anakin, Artoo and the Clone Troopers had finished up with the rest of the Assassin Probes."Good work, men." Anakin said and looked at Artoo. "You too, buddy." Artoo beeped gleefully at the praise.

"Assassin droids?" Rex muttered. "How did that monster end up In the hold?"

"Question is, who smuggled him on board?" Anakin admitted.

In the Dining Room the matinee droids were cleaning up the droids as Obi-Wan put his lightsaber away "Just like that swarm of venom-mites on draboon, remember?" Obi-Wan asked her. "How could i forget?" Satine replied "I still have the scar."

"Begging your pardon, duchess."Obi-Wan responded hands behind his back "I distinctly remember carrying you to safety."

"I meant the scar, I got after you fell and dropped me." Satine admitted with a smile.

"Oh yes."Obi-Wan said bashfully "Master Kenobi, I'd like to go join Master Skywalker in the cargo hold?" Ahsoka asked "Of course, send him up when they've secured everything." Obi-Wan ordered.

Bellow the levels of the Cornet Anakin was talking with a protocol droid who was sitting peacefully in a corner "I'm looking for the droid that services the cargo bay."He asked it, the protocol was a CP unit with gray paint wearing an open circle fleet sigil on its chest with blue eyes.

"Uh, yes sir, are all those creatures dead?"the protocol droid asked him getting up and wobbling over to the manifest. "That's what I'm trying to find out."Anakin asked him annoyed.

"You're in charge of the cargo manifest, right?" Anakin asked him "Uh, yes." the protocol device said taking a manifest device list. "I have it right here."

"Well, where did they come from?" Anakin demanded as he took the manifest.

"It is right here on the manifest." the protocol droid answered.

"For immediate delivery to Coruscant: one container marked 'medical supplies." Anakin said. "There's no name on this chart; there is no indication of who shipped it." He asked him.

"No, sir, just the senate stamp is always accepted for transport here aboard the coronet." the protocol droid said as Ahsoka came down into the lift "Everything alright Master?" Ahsoka asked him.

He tossed the manifest back into the droid "For now, how about Obi-Wan and his girlfriend?"

"Sadly both are alive." She said sarcastically.

Afterwards in the Dining Room, Anakin met up with Obi-Wan and Leo, the Jedi Knight handed the manifest to Obi-Wan. "One of our five distinguished senators appears to be a traitor." Anakin stated.

"I sense it too." Obi-Wan said looking at the manifest "Well, how are we going to find out who it is?" Leo asked him if they then noticed one of the small probes were alive.

"It looks like one of our little visitors is still alive." Anakin commented, "I have an idea how to expose the turncoat." Obi-Wan said before he looked at Anakin "You and Ahsoka return to the cargo hold, make sure the ship is clear of any more surprises. "Leo be on guard."

The boy nodded "Yes Master."

Later the Senators sat on their seats again, Senator Ta had started to heat once again, stuffing his face with food with the others, while the Duchess had lost her appetite. Leo was standing by the door, hands over his chest, "Duchess, you are not eating." Senator Ta said.

"I have no appetite."Satine replied.

"Begging your pardon, you must keep up your strength." Senator Ta said.

"By all means, be my guest, senator." Satine answered to him "If you insist."Senator Taa answered.

The door opened and Obi-Wan walked into the room holding a container covered in a dark pink napkin. Leo looked at it curious "Ah, dessert! Excellent!" Senator Ta said in excitement as Obi-Wan looked at his Padawan winking.

"This morsel might prove too much even for the legendary appetite of orn free taa, enjoy."Obi-Wan said, removing the napkin to reveal the small probe trapped behind a vase of glass.

"On second thought, it wouldn't agree with me." Taa said nervously as the probe droid smashed and hit at the glass but was too weak to even leave a scratch.

"My theory is our little friend will attack the duchess and anyone who defends her. anyone, that is, except the traitor who programmed it." Obi-Wan admitted, Leo smiled seeing the probe droid was a trick, one that made Leo smile.

"Take it away, please!" Ta begged waving his hand "Obi-Wan, this line of questioning borders on torture!" Satine said angrily. "I only seek to discover the true threat." Obi-Wan passed the small probe that attempts to attack Senators Orn Free Taa, Onaconda Farr, Kin Robb and Persephone Callas still banging at the glass

"Interesting." Obi-Wan commented." The droid displays unusual hostility toward the honorable Kin Robb but it seems to like you, Senator Merrik." Leo Reached for his lightsaber

"Really, General Kenobi, you are quite clever." Merrik replied before he threw the container and let the small probe free, which caused Obi-Wan and Leo to activate their lightsabers. In the commotion grabbed Merrik Satine hostage putting a blaster against her cheek, when Leo came running up the traitor reached into his robe and through down a thermal detonator.

"Bomb!" Leo snapped but when it blew instead of explosion came a giant cloud of white smoke that when cleared revealed Merrik and the Duchess gone.

"Anakin, Ahsoka Tal Merrik are the traitors and he's taken Satine hostage."Obi-Wan said in his comlink as Tal Merrik held the two Jedi back with the Duchess as a shield.

Below the decks, "Copy that, but we've got Problems of my own right now."Anakin and she held their lightsabers out to protect themselves as they walked around.

"Guys you found anything?" Ahsoka asked in her head set.

"All quiet over here, sir."Rex replied.

They then heard blaster shooting and they ran to see small probes attacking Rex and Cody Artoo electrified the small probes saving Rex from getting killed.

"Thanks, little guy."Rex said.

"Well, we found the little ones."Anakin answered."What about the mother?" Ahsoka I queried.

"Haven't seen it."Rex replied, suddenly The Assassin probe appeared behind him grabbing Rex by his armor. But Anakin and Ahsoka quickly responded cutting its arms that were holding Rex and making it flee. "After it." Anakin ordered making them give chase.

Meanwhile upstairs Merrik had made his way to the cockpit, where he shot the crew at point blank range forcing Satine to watch

"Monster! You're a horrid monster!"Satine growled "Get used to it."Merrik replied.

When the ships guards secured the dinning room, Anakin and Obi-Wan saw the other two jedi coming out from the elevator lift.

"Merrik?" Obi-wan asked.

"No, but we've stationed Troopers at every escape pod." Told him confidently "Merrik will try to signal his allies for help. "Obi-Wan said "We have to find him."

Then the four jedi started running and into the lift. "This may not be the time to ask, but were you and Satine..."Anakin asked cause it might be there last.

"I don't see how that has any bearing on the situation at hand."Obi-Wan said sharply.

Smirks grew on Anakin and the two padawans faces while on the bridge Prince Merrik pulled the ship out of hyperspace and started to contact someone on the ships computer, before the holographic image of Pre Vizsla appeared to Satine's horror.

"Deathwatch command." Vizsla stated, "Tal merrik here."Merrik answered.

"Senator Merrik." Vizsla said. "Have you completed your mission?"

"Yes sir, I have the duchess, but I'll Need help getting her away." He said squeezing his arm around the woman's neck.

"Very good."Vizsla stated "Reinforcements are on their way."

Outside the ships four Separatist droid pods flew out of hyperspace straight toward the stranded cornet piercing its haul like ticks only instead of sucking things out they pushed them in and in the Hallways. Clone troopers passed the four Jedi as they heard something break into the Coronet shaking it like a tower in an earthquake.

"Boarding, pods we got boarding pods." The Jedi's comlink s heard followed by blaster fire erupting throughout the ship.

"We'll take care of this." Anakin explained and looked at Obi-Wan.

"Obi-Wan, you? Go find your girlfriend.

Then the Jedi Knight and Ferus ran off.

"Right— Uh, no, Anakin, she's not my-" Obi-Wan didn't finish the sentence as Leo looked at him "Lets just hurry." Obi-Wan said leading Leo to the bridge where they found the remains of the crew and Merrik latest treachery. And where they saw Merrik holding Satine as hostage, the blue and white lightsabers turned on followed by Merrik raising his blaster to the Duchess.

"Come in, Kenobi."Merrik said. "You're expected."

"Tal Merrik, you are under arrest." Obi-Wan admitted "Release the duchess."

"I took the precaution of wiring the ship's engines to explode." Merrik said "I press this remote and we all die." Merrik said, holding up a device in his hand belonging to the arm around Satines neck.

"Obi, if you have any respect for me, you will not take such risks with so many people's lives at stake." Satine begged.

"Satine...don't." Obi-Wan warned, across the ship Anakin and Ahsoka were fighting the droids with the clones as Merrik took Satine away as Obi-Wan's sight back into the hallway forcing the two jedi to keep their distance with their lightsabers ready.

Down below Anakin, Ahsioja and the Clones were fighting off the battle droids with Satine's bodyguards holding their own.

"And here I thought this trip would be burning." Ahsoka said taking over behind two pillars across from Anakin when a group of droidikas rolled up "Couldn't agree more snips!"Anakin replied as he leaped and took out another battle droid and used the force to blast the droidikas away. "Take care of these snips, I'm off to help Obi-Wan." Anakin said jumping over the heads of the remaining battle droids.

Back with the Duchess, Merrik had gotten all the way to one of the droid drop ships skewered in the side of the ship and beeped his comlink to signal the pilot.

"This is Merrik."He said "Stand by to disengage, say farewell, Duchess."

"Obi-wan, it looks like I may never see you again."Satine stated sadly. "I don't know quite how to say this, but i've loved you from the moment you came to my aid all those years ago." Leo's jaw almost hit the floor and even Merrik was a bit shocked

"I don't believe this."Merrik muttered, rolling his eyes at the absurdity.

"Satine, this is hardly the time or place for..."Obi-Wan said almost sounding embarrassed but Satine eyes said it all.

"All right…" Obi-Wan said in defeat. "Had you said the word, I would have left the Jedi Order." Leo looked at Obi-Wan amazed at the confession and it was all broken by Merck "That is touching, truly, it is."Merrik said and then frowned."But it's making me sick and we really must be going."

"You have the romantic soul of a slug, Merrik."Satine said angrily and stepped on his foot.

"Ow!" Merrik growled.

She then stole his blaster and pointed at him "And slugs are so often trod upon." Satine retorted as Merrik wasn't even afraid raising his head "Interesting turnabout, but even if I do not deliver the duchess alive to the Separatists, I still win." Merrik replied and took out the remote. "The second I'm away, I'll hit the remote and blow the coronet to bits."

"I will not allow that." Satine said pointing the blaster at him..

"What will you do? If you shoot me, you prove yourself a hypocrite to every pacifist ideal you hold dear." Merrik said and looked at the Jedi.

"And you, Kenobi, you are no stranger to violence, you and the boy will be hailed as heroes by everyone on this ship, almost everyone."

The Duchess and the two Jedi looked at each other, Nadia noticed something from behind the traitor and smirked.

"I wouldn't be sure about that Merrik." She admitted.

"Come on, then." Merrik said sarcastically. "Strike me first and brand yourself, a cold-blooded killer or the teacher of one."

When out of nowhere Anakin appeared to stab Merrik through with his lightsaber and catch the detonator before it could hit the floor. Safe from the danger Satine threw the blaster away and it hit the floor.

"Anakin..."Obi-Wan said scolding as Leo let out a sigh of relief.

"What? He was going to blow up the ship." Anakin reminded with a smile as he deactivated his lightsaber when the Duchess approached him.

"Obi-wan, I..."Satine said but before she could even get a word in Ahsoka and ther est of the clones ran up "General Skywalker, the last of the droids have been defeated, sir."Cody reported.

"Very good, Cody." Anakin said as he noticed Obi-Wan was more focused not the Duchess then the men, "Uh Cody, Rex sweep the ship for any more surprised Merrik had for us, Leo Ahsoka come with me." Anakin said hurrying them out of the hallway giving Satine and Obi-Wan some space. Only for all three of them to peek around the corner to see what would happen.

The two padawans and Knight watched bugged eyed "Is this spying?" Ahsoka asked him "Think of it as spiritual support." Anakin said.

"I must get back to the business of diplomacy."Satine suddenly said cutting off the moment and walking down the hallway back the way she came without Obi-Wan."As you say, duchess."Obi-Wan replied. "Some other time."

_CORUSCANT_

_Upper City Landing Pad_

After a long and dangerous voyage The Coronet finally arrived and landed on Coruscant's upper city landing pads where an escort ship was already waiting. It certainly drew a few heads as it came in with four droid drop ship pods stabbed in its haul. In addition the Supreme Chancellor was already outside and waiting with a posy of Senators and Representatives to welcome the Duchess and a squad of Senate Commandos for extra security as the four jedi were coming off the ship, the Chancellor greeted them by "A job well done, Master jedi."Palpatine remarked.

"Thank you, Chancellor."Obi-Wan replied with Leo.

"Your excellency."Anakin said as he and Ahsoka bowed before they departed seeing the Duchess approaching them.

Satine walked up to Obi-Wan."How ironic to meet again, only to find we're on opposing sides." She said, sounding almost sad.

"The needs of your people are all that matter."Obi-Wan stated to her "They couldn't be in a better hands with you to guide their future."

"Kind words indeed from a mindful and committed Jedi and yet..."Satine said and trailed off drawing Obi-Wan closer. "What?"Obi-Wan asked.

"I'm still not sure about the beard."Satine complimented, stroking his face.

"Why? What's wrong with it?" Obi-Wan asked. "It hides too much of your handsome face."Satine answered with a soft smile then looked to Leo.

She smiled this time not like she had before "Padawan Rock, I belive I owe you an apology."

"For what?" Leo asked "For assuming your Master had sown the same stubbornness in you that he has, I know see thats not such a bad thing after all, I have no doubt with his aid you'll become a fine Jedi Knight."

Leo looked up at Obi-Wan who only smiled at Satines playfulness "Thank you your highness, I owe you one a well." Leo bowed "What for?"

"I didn't show you the proper respect in the dining room please forgive my insolence." Satine suddenly got an idea "Sometimes a bit of insolence is good, to remind us that the first rule of democracy is respecting another's opinion." She said leaning over then and smiling at Obi-Wan before she kissed Leo on the cheek "For your bravery." she then walked away to head to a small ship.

Anakin, Artoo and the two padawans walked up to Obi-Wan. "What was that all about?" Anakin asked with a small laugh as Leo still had some of the Duchess's lipstick on his cheek, when Ahsoka saw it she snorted at how it made him look.

"She's a very remarkable woman, master." Leo said kindly.

"She is indeed." Obi-Wan agreed glaring down at him "Now where were we oh yes, your hair I'm sure we can fit you in at a late appointment." Obi-Wan said, starting to push Leo over to another transport "Master, can we talk about this?" Leo asked him.

"Oh no, with all that 'bravery' you showed today you deserve a reward." Obi-Wan said squeezing Leo's shoulder "I'm thinking a bowl cut, or perhaps that old style with the Mohawk and strands of hair hanging down over your ears doesn't that sound nice?" Obi-Wan said obviously getting back at Leo for the stolen kiss. Ahsoka and Anakin watched hilariously as Leo was taken away like a man about to be put to death over a haircut.

_**Alright, time to for the finale **_


	27. Way of the Jedi

**Chapter 27**

**Way of the Jedi**

_SERENNO_

_Courtyard of Count Dooku's palace_

As Count Dooku strode through his courtyard, both his apprentices Tol Skorr and Asajj Ventress followed him "And you two are in agreement of this plan?" Dooku asked hands on his belt under his cloak.

Ventress and Skorr stood side by side as they followed "We are of the same mind, the padawans will be vulnerable and easy for us to take our spies from us that their own Masters will be away." Tol said.

"And what of other intervention by the Jedi Council?" Count Dooku asked.

"Many of the Masters are away, scattered across the outer rim those that are there will be too busy with our distraction to stop us once we commit." Asajj explained to him as Dooku stopped on the edge of the garden overlooking Serenno's valleys and mountains.

"And where… did you acquire the information to accomplish this mission?" Count Dooku asked.

Tol Skorr reached into his belt and pulled out a holodevice to reveal a blueprint of Republic Shipyards "A mutual partner with a mutual interest." Dooku looked back at his apprentice and the blue prints. Then the Sith Lord thought for a moment " stroking his silver haired chin "Very well, go and see it done but remember the price of failure will cost you dearly."

Both Acolytes bowed to him "Of course Master, we will not fail." Tol said before they turned around walking toward a large red freighter, it had elongated wings and a hammerhead-like bridge with cannons covering it.

"Does it feel good returning to the Jedi Temple Tol?" Asajj asked him "Only when I may burn it down will it feel good, assassin." Tol said as they boarded the ship.

_JEDI TEMPLE_

_Outside the Temple Spa_

Leo looked at the three Jedi before him both his Master and Anakin with Ahsoka in front looking at his haircut. "Be honest, how does it look?" Leo asked. Obi-Wan smiled, arm perched up against his chin as Anakin's eyes were wide followed by Ahsoka sharing his look. "Very appropriate." Obi-Wan said

"Well…" Anakin started "Pffffft-ahahaha!" Ahsoka couldn't contain her laughter as Leo looked in the nearest window at his own reflection to see the horrible crime committed to his once flowing locks of red hair where now shorn down to a sheared hair cut bordering on a buzz, except for the braid. Overall it made the top of his head seem very angular like a boy cringed at the sight of it running his fingers through the short trim feeling loose clippings of hair sticking to his fingers remembering the water like feel of his once gorgeous hair.

"No, no, it looks nice really." Anakin said, trying to be supportive.

Ahsoka had finished laughing "You look great Rusty, I needed that." She said, wiping a tear from her eye.

Anakin then flicked Ahsoka in the air "Be nice Snips."

"It's fine Master, it'll grow back." Leo said brushing his hand against his black pants to get rid of the clippings.

"And we'll cut it again, as a jedi Padawan one must always be presentable especially when royalty shows you such affection." Obi-Wan said, holding up his hand drawing back to the kiss that Leo got.

Anakin shook his head "The Duchess already went back to Mandalore Master, and speaking of going away we better get going too." Anakin said to Obi-Wan.

"I agree best to be off." Obi-Wan said.

"Where are you two going?" Ahsoka asked turning up to them "The Council has given us a special deep in Separatist Space." Kenobi told them.

Ahsoka leaned over to Rusty "Which means no padawans around?"

"Exactly, you two focus on your studies, we'll be back before you know it." Anakin told him before they started to walk off.

Leo and Ahsoka were then left alone to start walking the opposite way deeper into the temple "So tell me all about Mandalore, what could have made Master Kenobi look that exhausted?" She asked.

"Not really all that interesting." Leo said as they made their way to their studies.

"Well in case you don't want to go to the studies, I think I might have an idea." She said hands behind her back, smirking "And you're going to drag me along with you regardless if I object?" Leo asked him.

Ahsoka already grabbed his collar and pulled him into a run that he gave into "Hmhmm now keep up haircut."

Leo followed her almost in a chase "No, no way am I having that as my nickname."

Later, Anakin and Obi-Wan were leaving Coruscant in a shuttle. "So, how's it feel to be back in the saddle Master?"

"It's refreshing to teach again, you certainly did a fine job with both Ahsoka and Leo… so far." Obi-Wan said as Anakin flew them up to a cruiser.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Anakin asked him.

Back in the Jedi Temple Ahsoka and Leo walked into the Room of A Thousand Fountains, the giant green house's waterfalls roared into large pools of water surrounded by green vegetation of all kinds. The flowers and trees had a few birds flying around them as they walked into the garden, a large courtyard set aside of meditation with braziers on each corner was at the main entrance with the jedi order painted on it, waterfalls behind it fell into a large pool dug into the ground of the garden to resemble a lake. The yellow tinted windows surrounding the roof of the garden showed brightly on the lake's reflection rippling from the waterfall.

"Are we going to mediate?" Leo asked her walking over the courtyard sigil as Ahsoka walked out of the stone and came to the edge of the small jungle of trees. Ahsoka walked up to a large tree on the banks and looked in "There you are." She said.

"What?" Leo asked, walking up behind her, she waved her hand "Come on you have to look." She said pointing into the water. Leo walked over and looked in only seeing his reflection and glare of the sunlight "No look closer." She told him getting out of the way. Rolling his eyes Leo looked over the pool more trying to peer deeper into the water kneeling down he suddenly felt a boot kick him right in the rear down into the water with a splash.

The boy surfaced from the water to see Ahsoka laughing up against the tree "Oh come on really!" Leo yelled at her trying to splash her with the water but Ahsoka jumped up grabbing onto a branch hanging over the water and Leo "I thought the great Master Kenobi would have taught you to be aware of danger."

"And that's what you're supposed to be, dangerous?" Leo asked standing up in a shallow part of the water.

Ahsoka's frowned "Guess round three."

Leo's eyes got wide "No, no, that's not what I said." Leo said backing up in the water as Ahsoka perched up on the branch like a tigress about to pounce. Ahsoka groaned sitting back down on the branch "You're no fun."

He saw the branch wobble a bit and heard the wood snap under the bark before he flicked his fingers at the spot between the whole branch and main trunk. The wood cracked before it snapped entirely, dropping Ahsoka into the water with a massive splash; now it was Leo's turn to laugh at her when he stopped he smiled looking at the bubbling water before it steadied "Ahsoka?"

Out of the water behind him Ahsoka rose up from the water unamused, Leo backed up into the water before she used the force to lift up a floating galleon of water like a bubble ever shifting in the air above her palm with some loose seaweed in it

"Just do it, I'm wet as it is already." Leo said hands behind his back before she threw the water right in his face, Leo spat it out laughing as the seaweed covered the top of his head. Ahsoka laughed before she noticed a shadow over her, behind his back Leo was holding up his own orb of water but it was four times the size of Ahsoka's and filled with mud. He dropped it down on like it was its own waterfall caking her lekku and shoulders in the mud from the lake Ahsoka gave a fake laugh before she tackled Leo into the water trying to drown him.

Meanwhile, as Obi-Wan and Anakin left the planet none of them noticed the red long winged ship heading toward the planet with Ventress and Skorr flying straight down to the planet.

Back in the Temple, Leo and Ahsoka came out of the water completely soaked before Leo sat down and took off his boot emptying out the water alongside Ahsoka who did the same. "You know I think I'm going to ask Master Kenobi for an extended mission, one where I don't have to keep getting tricked by you every time we come back to the temple to 'recover'." Leo said.

"Nah you'd miss me." She said to him with a grin as Leo took off his green robe revealing a sleeveless undershirt, he rung it out letting the water drip onto his bare feet before he set it through it over a nearby branch.

"Keep telling yourself that snips." The boy said sitting down in the grass laying back so he could feel the warm sun dry him as he laid there hands behind his back.

Ahsoka sat down next to him as he closed his eyes "So, better then another lecture?" She asked.

"Hmhmm." Leo said getting comfy in the soft grass before Ahsoka turned herself sideways and let her head fall back onto Leo's stomach, "Oof." Leo felt almost all the air in his chest spit out as Ahsoka's head hit him "Why?" "Shhh your my pillow and pillows can't talk." She said. Leo swallowed in some more air and looked up at the serene vine covered glass smiling at the green house, listening to the running water of the fountains and waterfalls, the soft songs of birds.

The silence was not to last "So what made you get rid of it?" Ahsoka asked.

"Get rid of what?" Leo inquired "You know what, it, the red kyber crystal?"

"Are you still on about that?" Leo asked her sitting up on his elbows while she still used him as her pillow.

He sighed "I was hearing voices okay."

"Voices?" She asked sitting up on her hands and knees "When did this start?" She asked.

"... a little bit after Naboo, is that bad?" Leo confessed sitting up.

"Yeah its bad!?" Ahsoka said "But the Masters say when the force talks to it we should listen?" Leo asked her.

Ahsoka shrugged "I mean the force yeah, not the force from possessed rocks?"

"Then what makes a Holocron, it's kind of posed with information?" Leo said to her "Want me to throw water on you again?" She asked him.

Leo shook his head grinning before he fell backward on the lake bank, closing his eyes and hands behind his head "I don't see what the big deal is, I got rid of it."

"Leo I know it's not just that?" She said blocking out his sun, Leo opened his eyes to see a halo of light around her head coming down from the windows casting a small shadow over his head. His lips parted ready for him to say something but he didn't he just looked at her seeing her in a new light he'd never seen before, the small droplets of water around the sides of her face twinkling with some light they'd caught before one of them dropped onto his forehead "What did you say?"

Suddenly the moment was ruined when a loud explosion was heard like thunder, but on a sunny day. Leo and Ahsoka got up quickly looking around the garden "What was that?"

A minute later, both of them fully dressed ran out of the garden to the nearest temple, they and other jedi looked out to see in the distance of the temple four larger towers of smoke rising from the sky. "That's where the Republic shipyards are?" Ahsoka said.

"Separatists?" Leo asked as Master Plo and and Windu came running across the room toward the hanger.

"Only one way to find out, come on." Ahsoka said running after the Masters with Leo behind her like always.

When they caught up enough Ahsoka called out "Masters whats the situation?" She asked eagerly to help.

Windu stopped next to Plo "Saboteurs attacked our shipyard, Master Plo and I are going to investigate."

"Can we be of assistance?" Ahsoka asked the stoic master "No need, return to your studies." Windu said before continuing on without them.

Ahsoka' shoulders slumped "I think he has it out for us." Ahsoka said arms crossed.

"Maybe, come on we should actually get to our studies." Leo said to her trying to get her to do as their masters instructed "Oooooooor?"

"Or we follow you to do something else that will probably end in my suffering and your laughter?" He asked her.

"You know me so well." Ahsoka said before they started to go down the other end of the hallway.

Meanwhile high in the clouds, above the shipyards Tol Skorr's ship saw Jedi Starfighters approaching with Republic Gunships from all over Coruscant to see what they'd done "And the trap is sprung." Tol said flying over six scuttled Star Destroyers that had turned into a roaring inferno of fire and metal.

As he flew toward the temple Tol Skorr started to contact someone "Your information paid off, the transfer is complete." Tol said into the comlink when a deep encrypted voice "Much appreciated Mr. Skorr, you should hurry quickly, the Padawans are on the Temple roof you won't have a better chance than this."

"How does this 'mutual partner' know this?" Asajj asked the voice and Tol, "Because I'm watching them right now." The voice said.

And as the voice said, back at the Temple, Leo and Ahsoka were walking on the Temple roof but not in the training grounds, they walked between high walls and the five great towers overlooking them as they passed.

"I give up, where are we going now?" Leo asked as Ahsoka came to an access ladder with a lock on it.

"Up." She said as she undid the lock with the force.

When he did she started to go up first but Leo stopped her "Yeah, no I'm going first so you don't kick me down." He said climbing up the ladder before her. He climbed to the top of one of the temple's annex's toll he reached the top to see a dozen vents spitting out air before Ahsoka came up after him.

"Alright what is it?" Leo asked him to keep his distance this time.

Ahsoka looked at the vents "These vents have a failsafe, if one of the rails comes loose the vent it was on, turns off." She said walking to one and unclipping the locks it sprung open and the air coming out of it ceased, deeper in it got black as night.

"Oh no, no way the second I come over there you're going to push me down." Leo said, shaking his head, Ahsoka rolled her eyes before she jumped into the vent and screamed with delight as she slid down into it.

"She's going to kill me." Leo said before he jumped in after her.

First there was only rushing air and suddenly slivers of light coming in and out of view from other vents in the temple as it wound and turned, like a slide. Suddenly leo saw Ahsoka ahead of him as the vent got wider carrying them left and right around the pipe as it swiveled around into a spiral going deeper into the temple. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Leo yelled before they went into an almost straight drop, his shrieks only made Ahsoka scream in laughter.

The pipe shot upward then making them jump a bit skidding across the metal before the vent burst open and both Padawan landed on a pile of freshly dried robes softer than a cloud.

"What…. was…. that?" Leo asked seeing they were in the temple laundry room surrounded by droids cleaning and dressing jedi robes.

"Ah-hem?" Leo had landed right on top of Ahsoka before he got off rolling to the laundry room floor "That was a vent Master Plo showed me before I became Skyguys padawan." She said as he came down to join her off the pile of robes.

Leo shook his head but couldn't help but have his lips curl into a smile "I think you and I are destined to end up like Master Kenobi and Skywalker."

"I got to hear this?" Ahsoka said passing by the droids "Indeed I will grow to become one of the orders most respective Masters, you will do everything in your power to make me have a heart attack." He said to her.

"So long as I get to save the day every time and be the hero, that's fine." She cooed when they both stopped sensing a chill running up both of their spines.

"I doubt that very much." Leo and Ahsoka spun around to see Tol Skorr and Asajj Ventress standing there inside the Jedi Temple. The padawans drew there as the cleaning droids dropped their bundles and irons at the sight of the weapons.

Ahsoka took her shien style grip and Leo drew his own twirling it in the air mimicking Obi-Wan's style of saber overhead and fingers pointed at the enemy. "Ventress, Skorr What are you doing here!?" Ahsoka demanded.

"Now if we told you that it wouldn't be a surprise." Ventress said.

Ahsoka smiled "Well it's a good thing we're in the laundry room, considering you're a washout."

"Adorable, Ventress shall I or would you like to do the honor." Tol Skorr said holding up his right hand "I'll take Skywalker's pet, you can have your boy." From the fingertips of both Sith a storm of forced lighting burst out hitting each Padawan completely unaware, their lightsabers were zapped from their hands as the two of them were electrified from head to tone with excruciating agony before they both fell to to the floor slipping into unconsciousness. In a daze they saw the Sith standing over them before Leo saw Tol Skorr reaching for him as he slipped into the darkness.

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Ahsoka awoke in a darkened metal room, there was no light but a crack in what looked like a metal door. When she got up she couldn't see anything and felt around to get the size of the room which was no bigger than a closet "Leo!?" She called out.

"I'm here." She heard coming from the right side wall.

"Leo where are we?" She asked.

Leo was in the other room sitting on the floor "Well considering this is the second cramped cell I've been in, the rooms are cold and I don't hear anything outside but the roar of an engine I'm guessing hyperspace?"

"To where?" Ahsoka asked, sitting back down in her cell.

Leo was in his own cell sitting up against the wall "I don't know."

"How did Ventress and Tol Skorr even get into the temple, do you think that the Bounty Hunter who broke it helped them?" She asked him.

"Maybe." He said back as the ship flew on "I'm more curious of how they got out of the temple, did they take our lightsabers?"

"I don't know?" Ahsoka said back to him.

Up in the bridge, Ventress and Tol Skorr were slumped in their seats, their black robes torn as Asajj wrapped her arm up with a bandage. "I see Master Luminra remember our last duel." She hissed as she tore the banadage with her teeth.

Tol was sporting a bloodied forehead "And Master Mundi still has a nasty left hook."

The two apprentices sat there grunting "We have our prize, time to let our Master know." Tol said as he started to contact Dooku, soon the red holographic image of the Count was before them.

"My lord, we have the Padawans." Tol said back to him "Excellent, bring them to Serenno so I may inspect them."

"As you wish, my Master." Tol said cutting the transmission. They continued on through hyperspace as Tol leaned back on his chair, Ventress had mended the last of her bandages as Tol closed his eyes.

Asajj looked at him closely "You have no quarrel bringing two of your own order's younglings to the Count, to abandon them?"

"Why would I?" Tol asked.

"You hold no more loyalties to the Jedi?" Asajj confirmed.

Tol snapped his head toward her "Whatever you think you know of me assassin know this, the Jedi Masters have no loyalty to anyone but the chairs they sit on you say I am abandoning them, but it was the jedi who abandoned me on Korriban to die!"

Ventress glared at him "Maybe because they foresaw the power you'd have." She said reaching for his hand "We must be cautious, if the cycle of the SIth is true one day we will need to challenge Count Dooku."

He held her hand "We shall and the children will be our tools."

_OUTER RIM_

_Open Circle Fleet_

Anakin and Obi-Wan were far away in another system looking at a holotable planning their next move, Rex and Cody were with them "We'll need to move our ships here to break through their lines." Anakin said next to the Admiral when a clone trooper came came up to them.

"Generals, Admiral we have a message straight from the Jedi Council." He reported.

"Put it on." Obi-Wan instructed, in a shift of the hologram, the images of Master Unduli and Mundi standing beside Master Yoda, both Mundi and Unduli were covered in singe marks on their robes and scars.

The clones and Jedi were shocked seeing them in such a state "Masters what has happened?" Obi-Wan asked.

Each of the masters shared grave looks on their faces before they spoke "Dark tidings we bring Skywalker, Kenobi."

"Infiltrated the Temple, Dooku's apprentices did… stolen the padawans have been." Master Yoda said, Anakin and Obi-Wan's eyes were bigger than moons when they looked at one another "How did this happen!" Anakin thundered slamming his hand on the holo table so hard the holograms of the masters shook.

"A sabotage of the shipyards drew most of our forces and Jedi to the flames." Mundi reported to him "We tried to stop them but Tol Skorr knew the temple well."

"And our entire fleet wasn't able to stop them from escaping Coruscant?" Obi-Wan asked.

"It's clear now they had inside help from within the Republic, the fleet was moved to the other side of the planet and nearly all our Masters and Knights were either away or busy." Luminara said.

Anakin's gloves squeezed tightly the leather squeaking "Where, where did they take them?"

"Serenno Skywalker, there trajectory indicates Serenno." Mundi told them with a grieving heart.

"What's to be done?" Obi-Wan asked.

The masters didn't answer him "What is to be done Master Yoda?" Obi-Wan asked, leaning on the holotable.

"Nothing…" Master Yoda said "Nothing, but we can't just abandon them!" Anakin demanded.

"We will not Skywalker, but Serenno is guarded by a fleet that would require a massive force to break their lines, we do not have the resources the intel or-" "They have our Padawans!" Anakin screamed.

Obi-Wan grabbed Anakin by the arm to try and calm him "Anakin."

But he just threw his master's grip away and stormed off the bridge, before Obi-Wan shortly followed him "And where exactly do you think you're going?"

"To Serenno." Anakin said walking into an elevator, Obi-Wan had to almost run to get in beside him before the door closed on them. It started to lower itself down to the hanger level as Obi-Wan stood beside him.

Anakin looked at him waiting for him to speak but Obi-Wan said nothing "Aren't you going to tell me its suicide."

"It is." Obi-Wan agreed.

"And how I shouldn't go?" The Knight asked him "You shouldn't." Obi-Wan said.

"How I need to wait for the Masters to come up with a plan, before I do anything rash?" Anakin questioned "You should."

Anakin suddenly threw his arms in the air "Then why are you being so quiet, its freaking me out a bit?"

Kenobi turned slowly "Because this isn't about me, it isn't about you it's about the padawans and I'm going with you."

"Wait, you aren't stopping me, you aren't reporting me to the Council your just… tagging along?" Anakin asked him "Really Anakin you're a grown man, a Jedi Knight if I could stop you maybe I would but the fact is Leo and Ahsoka are our responsibility and if Dooku has them long enough he will turn them to the Dark Side, or worse."

"We won't let that happen." Anakin said as the elevator arrived in the hanger with the two of them walking out to "No we certainly will not."

_SERENNO_

Tol Skorr's ship landed outside Count Doku's palace, the acolytes left the bridge and returned to the cells in the main hold. Inside the cells Leo and Ahsoka stood up "We've landed, where do you think we are?" Ahsoka asked.

"Shall we." Ventress said as Tol pressed a button on one door, Ventress did the next one to it and inside the cells the padawans were suddenly gassed heavily by vents in the air. Outside the sith waited till they heard two thumps of bodies hitting the floor and opened them, both Padawans were incapacitated again before they were dragged out of the ship hands bound in force restraints with Magna droids pulling them buy their arms into the palace.

When they entered, Dooku was sitting in his throne behind his desk and gave a smile seeing the acolytes return with their mission a success. At the side entrances and shadows of the grand hall room other cloaked figures emerged before the padawans were dropped before the steps leading up to Dooku. "Well done my apprentices, I am most pleased."

"Rouse them." Dooku ordered the manga guards who ignited their shock staffs and stabbed each padawan in the back to wake them up.

They kicked and yelled before they came too on their knees, "How many times are we getting knocked out?" Leo asked before Ahsoka jabbed him in the elbow "Leo got up." She said urgently terror gripping her heart.

When Leo saw where they were he stood up beside her before they got back to back. Their alarm clock greeted them with chuckles and laughs from the other acolytes beside Ventress and Tol, "So many…" Leo said seeing they all wore black cloaks and those who didn't hide them had lightsabers at their belts.

"Indeed young one, behold the Order of the Dark Acolytes." Count Dooku said, getting their attention.

"Count Dooku…" Ahsoka gasped seeing him "Before the rise of the Separatists many of these men and women were prisoners or criminals doomed to die, forgotten by the jedi who failed to see their potential." Dooku said looking around the hall "But they will be the first of many to train a new Order of Sith!" He said holding up his fist, the Dark Acolytes all let out thunderous yells and roars besides Tol Skorr.

"And one of you will join us." Dooku said, smiling down to the two of them.

Ahsoka's fear forced her to smile "One, don't you mean two?" She asked him.

"No Ahsoka Tano I do not." Count Dooku informed her.

Leo could see a very visible chill run up her spine hearing the man say her name "You know me?"

"Indeed I do, I know of Leo Rock out of all the padawans of the Jedi only the two among you have stood out from other Jedi." Dooku said, making his way down from his pedestal.

"Such a tragedy it will be for the Jedi to lose such promising students." He said making his acolytes all chuckle and snicker.

It was Leo's turn to talk "Whatever you do, whatever your planning we will Never-Join-The-Sith!" He barked defiantly.

"One shall or both will die." Dooku said, towering over them, he waved his hand under his cloak and both their restraints fell off before he turned around. Skorr and Ventress backed up before two lightsabers hit the floor in front of each padawan. "You think we'd fight each other, for some scheme you have!?" Leo asked picking up one of the lightsabers and throwing it at Dooku who caught it with the force and it flew back at Leo past his head and then back around to hit him in the forehead knocking him out to the Sith Acolytes amusement.

He heard the click of the activation switch and a lightsaber blade emerging from its emitter but it wasn't the one Leo had, he saw the red hue on the floor beneath him and when he looked up he saw Ahsoka holding her lightsaber over his head "I'm sorry Leo."

_RESOLUTE_

_Hanger_

Anakin and Obi-Wan were aboard the Twilight looking at a holographic map of Count Dooku's palace on the cliff side. "Even if we get past the fleet we'll never make it inside the Palace, Dooku has chosen his stronghold well." Obi-Wan said scratching his beard getting on one knee.

"If we scale the wall from here, any Separatist forces on the ridge and in the skies will shoot us down when they are alerted to our presence?" Obi-Wan added.

Anakin walked around the room pacing "We can't waste much more time Master, we need to go now."

"I know Anakin, I know but if it's just us we need another plan." Suddenly the doors to the Twilights bridge opened up, Rex, Cody, Boil and Waxer walked in "Generals?" Rex asked walking in.

"Rex, what is it we can't really talk about?" Anakin asked "You're going after the kids General, we'd like to volunteer to go with you."

The four clones all nodded "Cody?" Obi-Wan asked.

"With respect General, I don't know Commander Rock very well but he saved you and a lot of my men on Geonosis and the last thing I'm going to do is let the Separatists lay a finger on him."

"Waxer, Boil?" Obi-Wan asked, looking at the two "It's like he said General." Waxer said "Plus we have a rep to keep as the two best." Boil added.

Anakin and Obi-Wan smiled "Alright then, I've got an idea but it's risky, Rex you remember how we got past Grievous's fleet at Selucami?"

"Uh yes General?"

"Well this is way worse, so make sure the Twilight is packed with plenty of ammunition." Anakin said smiling "This is a bad idea, do I even want to know?" Obi-Wan asked as the clones went out to get ready."

Anakin looked at him, "Do you want to save the kids or not?" Anakin asked him "More than anything right now if Leo is turned to Dooku's side his Battle Meditation will wreak havoc on the clones." Obi-Wan said.

"Wait, battle meditation?" Anakin asked him "That's why the sith are after him, what about Ahsoka?"

"It's like you said Anakin, her skills are more advanced than any Padawan of her age more than Leo's, I can only imagine what she'd become if she turned." Obi-Wan said dread the thought "Ahsoka would never join the dark side, never."

_SERENNO _

_Count Dooku's Palaces Grand Hall_

"Ahsoka no!" Leo yelled jumping out of the way of her first swing, the acolytes all cheered and roared as she chased him with her red lightsaber. Tol Skorr and Ventress stood on the floor edges with the other Dark Acolytes but didn't cheer; they only watched the two duel, or Ahsoka duel and Leo trying to evade her.

She swung at him again and he moved to the left before he flipped over a low strike where she force pushed him back onto the floor. He hit it hard, tumbling before he got on his feet "What are you doing?!" Leo barked at her.

"What's it look like!" Ahsoka yelled attacking him again, he moved left and right to avoid her swings leaning back to avoid a furious spinning swing. He rolled out around her backing up.

He raised his hands "No, no this is wrong this isn't you snips." Leo snapped.

"How do you know, the darkness is always around you, maybe it's in me too!" Ahsoka snapped at him as Dooku smiled seeing her commit to the death match.

"Yes, good youngling focuses your anger and your frustration to kill him." Dooku said over them as Leo walked up to Leo who stopped "I'm not going to die here Leo, I don't care what it takes." She said using the force to knock him off his feet and holding her lightsaber over him, "These are Dark Times Leo, remember?" She said, giving him a look that only Leo would know, on instinct Leo used the force to summon the saber hilt and caught her blade before she could finish him. His joining of the fight made the Dark Acolytes scream even louder as he got up.

Leo snarled at her "You betrayed me!"

"Ha like I ever owed you loyalty." Ahsoka snapped hacking at his lightsaber, he blocked and side stepped trying to take her head off but she parried "Leo Rock the Berserker, Leo Rock the Hero of Ryloth that's all I hear day in and day out how so important you are!"

She jumped up to kick him away "My own Master decided to take you as an apprentice when he already had me."

"Probably because you weren't worthy!" Leo barked at her going on the offensive pushing her back up closer to Dooku "You're not worthy of him or the Sith."

Ahsoka held up her lightsaber "This is the end for you my old friend."

"So be it." Leo said running at her before he jumped but instead of blocking Ahsoka grabbed his I'm with the force and hurled her over herself right at Count Dooku "DIE TRAITOR!" Leo yelled attacking Count Dooku with his lightsaber, the Count didn't even budge from his spot or draw his lightsaber instead he grabbed Leo with the force by the neck choking him in mid air at the gasp of the entire audience of Sith and Ahsoka, eyes wide seeing the entire facade of their fake duel wasn't even worth it. "Such spunk." Count Dooku said before he through Leo back into Ahsoka he hit her hard and the two of them fell back onto the floor at the roaring laughter of the Dark Acolytes

Dooku looked at the two padawans "Very well if one will not serve both shall die."

"Kill them." Dooku ordered, in unison the entire hall was filled up with the light of the Dark Acolytes lightsabers, Tol Skorr and Ventress to among the masses of black cloaks and red lightsabers surrounded Leo and Ahsoka who were on their feet back to back, regardless of the color both of the padawans reactivated their red lightsabers.

"Well it was worth a shot?" Ahsoka said "More than that you had me convinced."

"Think I can convince you we'll get out of this?" Ahsoka asked as the Dark Acolytes started to get closer to envelop them, they were back to back forcing the Sith on all sides.

Leo shrugged "It would be an act for the ages."

"I may not have to." Ahsoka said sensing something in the force.

In another part of the galaxy far far away, Anakin and Obi-Wan were behind the controls of the twilight as the four clones were strapped in or holding on when Anakin made the jump to hyperspace. "Artoo be prepared to cut the engines on my mark." Artoo beeped at him plugged into the control, as they started to near Serenno "Now!" Anakin ordered as they came out of hyperspace above Serenno right in front of a Separatist dreadnought before they sipped past thanks to Anakin's quick reflexes. To the droids they were nothing more than a blur of metal that not even their scanners picked up as they zipped past to Serenno "Did yo use that?" The droid commander asked "See what?" Another asked.

"Nevermind?" The droid replied.

The twilight broke through the atmosphere of Serenno and its clouds like they were nothing zooming straight toward Dooku's palace at lighting speed "Everyone hold ON!" Anakin yelled.

Back in the palace Dooku, Skorr and Ventress sensed the incoming danger, aka the incoming ship that was right in front of the grand halls green tinted window, Dooku ducked as the Twilight tore into the grand hall sending the entire room into chaos as it flew over crashing onto the floor past Leo and Ahsoka before it rammed into the entrance. The doors of the Twilights hanger opened with Rex on a mounted E-web turret hooked up to the ship's generator "SUCK LASER!" He yelled opening fire on the Dark Acolytes, Tol Skorr and Ventress dove to cover from the recently made rubble as Rex started to mow down the sith wannabes.

Some of them tried to scale the ship from the top but Anakin and Obi-Wan burst out followed by Waxer and Boil, Waxer had a heavy repeating blaster cannon he immensity used to spray the room with blue laser fire as Boil was wearing a flamethrower which started to ignite entire scores of Dark Acolytes. Cody hung back in the ship's rear turret shooting from inside as Anakin and Obi-Wan did what Jedi did best, fight Sith.

Leo and Ahsoka watched their Masters jump right over them "Kill the Jedi!" Ventress yelled as the acolytes charged the two Jedi. Anakin and Obi-Wan were like a hurricane their blue lightsaber a blur of carnage hacking and dismembering anyone in there way, Anakin blasted three acolytes away with the force as Obi-Wan held back two at once before he sliced off both their heads with a single swing. Anakin kicked another one back before he smashed his is fist into the closet Acolyte.

"Padawans, get on the ship!" Anakin yelled at them when one larger Ventress and Tol Skorr appeared over Obi-Wan and Anakin. Leo and Ahsoka jumped over both their Masters and kicked each apprentice back before landing between their masters lightsabers ready.

"You were saying?" Ahsoka asked him.

"We can't do this for long." Obi-Wan said as the Dark Acolytes started to regroup, Anakin held up his wrist communicator "Artoo get the Twilight ready to go."

Artoo heard him from inside and started to prep the ship as the Jedi held the line against the sith, Anakin, Ahsoka, Leo and Obi-Wan held their ground against the onslaught of Dark Acolytes. Anakin swung his saber down from overhead using his towering figure to hold back swaths of the acolytes, Ahsoka back flipped and used her smaller body to evade the larger sith jumping over their blades to swat them away. Leo locked one blade head butting the owner and force pushed them away, Obi-Wan kicked another down stabbing him in the ground before he parried two oncoming blows and saw they couldn't keep this up forever.

Ahead of them Dooku had recovered from the sudden interruption to the ceremony with Ventress and Tol Skorr in front of him "We can't do this much longer, if these acolytes don't get us the droids will." Obi-Wan told Anakin.

"Then go I'll cover you." Anakin told them.

"We aren't leaving you master!" Ahsoka snapped at him.

Up at the front of the great hall covered in glass Dooku frowned "Skorr, Ventress I tire of this."

"As you wish, master.' Ventress pressed a button on her, suddenly from one of the side halls of the doors commando droids ran out with rocket launchers and took aim at the jedi and dark acolytes.

"LOOK OUT!" Leo yelled when the droids opened fire, Anakin and Obi-Wan grabbed their padawans shielding them from the blast. The explosion shook the entire room even the clones were staggered till they took out the droids before they could shoot the twilight.

Cody looked out from the cockpit "Rex, we need to leave, now!"

"I can't see the Generals or the commanders?" Rex said as the Jedi were lost in the cloud of smoke and dust.

Anakin came to first slowly getting up to see almost all the dark acolytes were either dead or wounded, the other jedi were alive too battered but not broken from the blast. Then through the smoke Anakin saw Tol Skorr and Ventress walking through the smoke with their lightsabers drawn.

Then Dooku appeared in "A valiant effort Skywalker, truly worthy of the Jedi of the Old Republic." Dooku praised him as Leo was helped up by Ahsoka and Obi-Wan got to his feet he suddenly grabbed his side his body glove and robe cut leaking blood onto the floor. Anakin was injured to the back of his robes were torn to shreds bleeding from open burn marks.

"Master." Leo said coming over to aid him but Obi-Wan held up his lightsaber hand and turned it on "I'm fine Padawan."

"Surrender and you four shall be spared." Count Dooku requested.

Anakin smiled and winced at the same time "Not gonna happen."

"A pity, finish them." Dooku said, turning around "Artoo, fire the engines!" Anakin ordered.

The Twilights rear engines came to life "Move!" Anakin ordered, Ahsoka and he went right, Leo and Obi-Wan left. The sheer force of the engines blasted Tol Skorr and Ventress back up against the wall but Count Dooku spun around and used the force to hold himself in place, his brown cloak flowing behind him as he took the full gust of the engines power.

"Time to go droid, activate the weapon systems." Rex said in the pilots seat opening fire not he walls in front of them. When the first wall down the Twilight started push through scraping against the floors burrowing to the other end of the palace.

"Come on." Anakin told everyone, the Masters and padawans followed the twilight as it broke through the main entrance out into the courtyard before the ships engines gave out.

Inside Cody was slamming at the controls, "No, no, no General Skywalker the engines are overheating."

"Artoo get those engines cooled, we need to get out of here now." Anakin said coming out of the palace into its courtyard, overhead they could see the separatist fleet starting to descend.

"Leo get inside." Obi-Wan ordered him still holding his side now gushing blood "Master I won't leave you." Leo told him.

Anakin and Ahsoka came over when they saw him lagging behind "Anakin you need to take the padawans and go I'll hold off Dooku and his lackeys." Obi-Wan said weakly.

But the Knight shook his head "No we're all leaving or none at all… so sorry about this" Anakin said "Sorry about-" Anakin drew back his gloved fist and threw it across Obi-Wan's jaw knocking him out.

"Boil, Waxer come get General Kenobi inside." Anakin ordered catching him.

The two clones ran out and grabbed Obi-Wan carrying him inside. "If we make it out of this, neither of us are reporting General Skywalker agreed." Boil asked

"Agreed." Waxer replied as they laid Obi-wan down on the medical bed as Rex came out with two heavy blaster rifles. "Less talking, more blasting, we got droids coming up to the perimeter." Anakin came back out as Dooku walked out with Ventress and Tol behind him, "You two handle the lackeys… I'll take Dooku." Anakin said as his back wound dripped onto the courtyard floor around them and as the Sith emerged so did the sounds of clanking battle droid feet marching towards the palace from the fields outside the palace.

Anakin, Leo and Ahsoka started to walk toward the Sith, Dooku, Skorr and Ventress mirrored them drawing their lightsabers. Blue, white and green facing four red blades till they charged. Sabers crossed and flashed Anakin using both hands to fight Dooku with his single grip elegantly balanced and deadly. Leo met Tol Skorr head on spinning around him to evade the giants powerful strikes across from them Ahsoka flipped over Ahsoka who caught her first strike with her red lightsabers behind her back.

The twilight was another fight, the four clones were taking up positions as Cody's was inside trying to get the ship back on "Come on, come on hurry." He told Artoo who beeped at him "At least get the shields up."

Just in time when the droids opened fire, Artoo turned on the Twilights shields giving the clones and Jedi some cover. Back with the battle of light and darkness, Leo and Tol Skorr were furiously attacking one another "There is no escape Leo Rock, join us or die." Night

"How many times do I have to tell you, I-WILL-NEVER-BE-SITH!" Leo yelled at him through each swing.

"But your anger, your hate, you use them well even if it is hate for the sith." Tol Skorr said, breaking off the duel walking around them.

The others were carrying on banter as well, Dooku and Anakin had locked swords "Master Kenobi has trained you well, perhaps Qui-Gonn was right to see something in you."

"Don't you dare say his name." Anakin grunted through the lock.

Asajj was toying with Ahsoka too laughing and cackling as Ahsoka chased her, Asajj swung her lightsabers down on Ahsoka forcing her almost to her knees laughing when Ahsoka suddenly clocked the assassin right in her narrow jaw "Laugh at that you evil bitch." Ahsoka snapped.

Ventress spat out some blood, her smile and laugh gone, she shrieked running at her driving her fury right at Ahsoka.

No longer toying with her, Ahsoka started to get pressed back by the older, almost more skilled woman. Leo noticed both Anakin and his padawan were faltering. Tol saw it and rather then attack he spoke "Look at them, they will die yield now and I know my Master and the assassin will let them go."

**Accept your destiny**

Leo snapped his head back to Tol and he was holding the red kyber crystal containing the ancient Sith Lord "Embrace who you really are." Tol said.

**Embrace the dark side, save your friends with your fury and hatred**

The words of the kyber crystal reached Leo as he saw Dooku overcome Anakin and push him back onto the ground before Anakin got up. Asajj grabbed Ahsoka with the force by the neck and threw her down before Ahsoka had to catch the assassin's next strike on the ground. Leo squeezed his fists tight around his lightsaber before he turned it off "Your right, we can't escape…. and I'm so tired of fighting it…" Leo admitted.

**Yessss**

Leo held out his hand to Tol Skorr and the red kyber crystal started to float toward him "I don't want to fight anymore…. I don't want to try… I know what I am." he said

His allies saw him doing it "Leo!" Anakin called out but Dooku suddenly appeared "It is over Skywalker, he is lost to you and the jedi lies."

**Yes, yes take me in your hands I will grant you all the power in the galaxy.**

The red kyber crystal was almost toward Leo "Leo, Don't do it!" Ahsoka tried to yell at him while she fought Ventress "

**Together we shall unravel the darkest secrets of the galaxy, the ways of power will be ours and ours alone we shall-**

**…. no….**

Leo's eyes cracked open, not yellow but bright green, he turned on his lightsabers and yelled slashed the red kyber crystal with his lightsaber.

**NOOOO**_OOOOO__**OOO**__**OOOOOOoooooo...**_

The kyber crystal exploded in a bright red surge of energy knocking everyone back from the blast except for Leo who was standing across from Tol Skorr. "What, no you fell, I could feel it you are one with the darkness you are SITH!?"

"I AM A JEDI!" Leo yelled at Tol Skorr "Yes, I have anger and hate, I fear and use my pain but I deal with it and right now I'd rather see you lose then live."

Tol Skorr snarled "And you'll die as one!" Tol yelled, running at him the blast has taken its toll on Leo when Skorr struck, Leo almost fell to the ground being pushed back by the massive strikes.

Dooku had seen the whole thing as did Anakin, who started to laugh "See Dooku… you can't break them, neither of them you failed." The Count turned his lightsaber back on and pointed it to Skywalker "The day is not over yet Skywalker."

"Well bring it on old man, I'll go easy on you." Anakin said, fighting through the pain of his wounds.

Ahsoka and Asajj hadn't even paused their duel "Kill you, kill you kill you!" Asajj shouted frantically as she attacked. Ahsoka backed up Asajj in rage of dark side madness and was almost too much for the girl, behind them the clones were holding off the advancing droids who seemed to be without end. When Asajj made a high slash from above Ahsoka blocked but Ventress took her other lightsaber and drove it into the left side Ahsoka's stomach "AHSOKA!" Rex screamed so loud it halted the entire lightsaber back.

Anakin turned his head over from Dooku and his jaw dropped, he broke off his fight with Dooku and hit him with a force push so hard Dooku was knocked off his feet and sent straight into the "GETAWAYFROMHER!" Anakin roared, grabbing Asajj Ventress with the force by the neck and slamming her into the ground before he flung her through a wall of the palace.

Leo looked over and even only for a moment when he was distracted Tol was there and when Leo turned around all he saw was a red lightsaber coming right at his face. "GRAAAHH!" Tol's blade had cut Leo across the face and the boy slapped his hand to it the smell of his own flesh and bone burnt made it almost unbearable to stay standing.

Across the courtyard Rex was running up to Anakin who cradled Ahsoka in his arms "Ahsoka, Ahsoka can you hear me."

"..rrrr Master… it hurts." Ahsoka said looking at the wound "Get her onboard Rex." Anakin ordered "Sir, yes sir." Rex raised Ahsoka up in his arms before Anakin turned his attention toward Tol Skorr and Leo who could barely see.

Tol Skorr laughed as the boy swung at him wildly holding his hand over his face un able to see. Tol dodged a close strike before he kicked Leo to the ground and when Leo held up his lightsaber Tol took care not to lop off any limbs rather he cut Leo's lightsaber in half rendering it useless before kicking it from his hands.

"You wanted to be a jedi, well embrace the force as one." Tol said ready to drive his lightsaber down into Leo who looked up at him, Tol's attack on Leo's face had missed the boy's green eyes and was directly across his nose and cheeks leaving a blackened burnt scar still bleeding. Tol smiled seeing Leo would look him in the eyes smiling the dark jedi got ready to drive his lightsaber down when he felt something around his neck.

Tol's lightsaber was ripped from his hands and flew behind him to the approaching Anakin Skywalker who had his other hand clutched in a claw choking the life out of Tol "You break into our home."

"You kidnap our padawans..." Anakin added.

"You try to make them murder each other for your own perverted games." Anakin said, squeezing the air around Tol's neck making him choke, suddenly Tol Skorr was lifted off the ground, his feet dangling as Anakin choked him. His legs kicked and thrashed as he grabbed his neck "This… is not- the jedi way-ack." Tol tried to say before Anakin yanked Tol right toward him, Anakin activated the red and blue lightsabers and dropped Tol right at his knees between the two blades ready to execute him "MERCY!" Tol screamed

Leo rolled over weakly looking at him "Mercy, you betrayed the order, the Republic tried to kill my padawans and now you expect mercy?"

"It's the jedi way… " Tol begged looking up at him, "You are no jedi." Anakin hissed

"I WAS A JEDI KNIGHT!" Tol screamed up at him water forming in the corners of his eyes "Ever since I was a child that's all I wanted to be, a Jedi Knight a champion of the Republic, I passed the trials I fought in the Stark Hyperspace War I shed blood, sweat and tears for the Republic and for what?" Tol asked Anakin his neck an inch from the two lightsabers.

Tol looked over at Leo then at Anakin "For what!? To be abandoned on Korriban by the Jedi Council, bereft and forgotten because they too afraid to even come near the darkness to try and save me…. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO SURVIVE!" Tol yelled up at him, tears streaming down his face.

"So please…. my jedi brother… spare me." Tol begged Anakin, "General Skywalker we need to go now the engines are ready!" Rex yelled out as the droids were closing in.

Anakin looked back at Tol and was about to cut the man's head off "Master!" Leo called out to him on his feet picking up the remains of his broken lightsaber "... he's not worth it." Leo said wobbling over to Twilight. Saying nothing Anakin tossed Tol's lightsaber aside and turned around, in an instant Tol summoned his lightsaber and tried to attack Anakin from behind but Anakin was ready he spun back around and sliced both of Tol Skorr's arms clean off before he fell back onto his knees.

"No…" Tol said before the jedi ran back onto the twilight.

Anakin saw Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were strapped in the medical room breathing apparatus on their face as a medical droid dressed Ahsoka's wounds. When Leo saw her he fell to his knees at the table "Ahsoka… no, no, no." He said, grabbing her hand, squeezing it.

"Artoo, get us out of here." Anakin ordered, Waxer and Boil got on board just in time as the twilight started to take off among the sea of droids.

Tol SKorr watched the ship go still on his knees as Ventress came up behind him covered in dust her forehead bleeding "We failed." Tol said as Asajj held up her lightsaber behind him and turned it on "No, you failed." She said.

Sighing, the disarmed man turned around to look at her and said, "You really are an evil bitch."

Asajj only smiled "There can be only two." She said before slicing his head off.

Up in the clouds Anakin was at the controls of the twilight with the clones strapped in at the rear guns. Rex was in the cargo hold shooting his turret outside at the clouds filled with vulture droids.

"General Kenobi always said you were an excellent pilot." Cody said holding on "Does that mean you can get us out of here?" He asked.

Anakin swirled upward past a barrage of cannon fire from the Separaitst fleet closing in on all sides "Or die trying."

"That's not as encouraging!" Cody yelled as they went higher "I can't do any evasive maneuvers till we're out of the planet's atmosphere." Anakin said, running away. Back in the medical hold Leo looked at Ahsoka through his bloody cut face "Can you save her?" Leo asked the twilight medical droid who was attending them.

"The wound is too severe, she will no longer function soon." Leo looked back at the unconscious Ahsoka as Anakin broke through the upper atmosphere only to be greeted by the full force of Serenno's Separatist flotilla. Anakin started to do his best dodging the unending wave of vulture droids and red cannon fire "Artoo get us ready to jump."

The droid responded from the nav computer Waxer was sitting at "What he say?"

"He says there are too many ships in the way, we can't make the jump." Anakin said as the ship was hit on the broadside by a droid cannon.

In the back room, Leo squeezed Ahsoka's hand tighter "No, please start no." Leo prayed as he put his other hand on her wound "Listen to me Ahsoka… if this it… you asked me why I got rid of the crystal."

"It was you, when the sith spirit was trying to take control of my mind I was trapped in darkness then I heard your voice calling out to me." He said while the Twilights shields were starting to fail from the bombardment of enemy fire, one of their engines caught fire then.

"Cause no matter how bad things got, now matter how many enemies I faced I knew you'd always be on the other end of it waiting for me… because I…" Leo trailed off for a moment looking at her pale face, the orange had gone out of her cheeks her heart beat growing weaker by the moment.

Behind him on the other medical bed Obi-wan stirred his eyes closed "...say it… say it…" Leo looked back at him then the medical droid "Is he awake?"

"He has been prescribed ample pain medication, he is delirious." The droid reported as Leo looked back at Ahsoka, summoning every last ounce of force he had he channeled it into her wound.

"Because I can't live without you Ahsoka."

Up on the bridge the Twilight had no way out, every alarm and siren it had was going off as they were about to be blown to oblivion "General Skywalker we've got ships coming out of hyperspace!" Cody said to him.

"Like we didn't have enough problems." Anakin said "No sir, there friendlies, there friendlies." Out of hyperspace dropped an entire fleet of Republic Cruisers nearly colliding with the separatist dreadnoughts at the head of one of them was Admiral Yuralen "All ships open fire and watch your aim, General Plo you are cleared."

Soaring out of the ship's hangers was a swarm of clone straightens with Plo Koon at the vanguard in his Jedi Starfighter "I see the Twilight, all fighters follow me and punch a hole." Plo ordered as the clones drew the attention of the separaitst fleet. Back inside Anakin was able to push the remaining engines into overdrive "Master Plo I could kiss you." Anakin said.

"Let's get out of here first Skywalker, where are the padawans?" Plo asked him.

Inside the medical room Leo had his hand over Ahsoka's wound trying to channel the force into it before he… before he… passed out.

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_Leo was falling, but it wasn't a terribly frantic fall; it felt soft and graceful as if he were sinking to the bottom of a pool. Instead of it becoming colder or darker it was the opposite, he was heading straight toward a dim light that got brighter every second. _

_When he saw it Leo felt a sense of relief, peace and warmth, the light was radiant and welcoming to the sight and soon started to fill the void he was in. He saw his wounds were gone and he felt no pain, even his green robes were replaced with white ones. _

_Then he heard it, out of the light came the most angelic sounding voice he'd ever heard and it said "hello." _

_It made him smile seeing it, Leo started to reach out to the light ready to embrace it when someone grabbed his other hand. Leo turned around to see Ahsoka behind him, her wounds were gone, the color returned to her face, her red top and skirt were white like his robes and her smile was even warmer than the light. _

"_Not that way." She said._

"_Why not?" Leo asked. _

_She started to pull him up "Because if we go that way we can't go back." _

_Leo looked back at the light, it said nothing only glowed with this warmth diminishing it as Ahsoka pulled him back up, up and up…._

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"He'll be fine, it'll leave a scar but he'll live…." A voice said.

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"What about her...?" Another voice asked, it was Anakins.

There was shuffling "The droid indicated her wound was fatal and she should have survived, but she's stable I suggest replacing the droid Skywalker."

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The two padawans woke up in white sheeted beds, they were back in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, when they woke up they saw each of their Masters fast asleep across from them in separate chairs inside the same medical room Windu and Anakin had shared early in the morning. Ahsoka and Leo shared looks of "We're alive?" Leo said, his head was wrapped up around his nose and cheeks with some around his head too. They both had on white medical robes like Anakin and Mace had worn when they were injured.

Ahsoka winced, sitting up grabbing her stomach where she'd been stabbed "I think we're pushing our luck Rusty."

Anakin woke up first "Master, there awake." Anakin said gleefully.

Obi-Wan rose beside him "Padawans how are you feeling?" He asked.

Leo rested his head on the pillow "Like I was stabbed." Ahsoka said, falling back into her pillow.

"Guess Ventress took away some of your snippets Ahsoka." Anakin said leaning on her bed.

Obi-Wan came up to Leo "And you Leo?"

Leo looked up at him "How did we escape?" Leo asked him.

"I believe I can answer that." Master Plo walked in through the medical rooms doors with Master Yoda beside him "When Admiral Yuralen informed me that Skywalker and Kenobi were planning a rescue, I joined my fleet with his to… assist Skywalker almost regretfully with what happened after." Plo said as Anakin smirked at him knowing Anakin had kept good on his promise of thanks.

Ahsoka snickered but groaned "Ow… bet Master Windu loved that."

"You four always seem to find yourself in trouble don't you." Plo Koon said jolly as Master Yoda approached them.

"Master Yoda." Leo said seeing him "Many perils you together you have faced, many dangers gone, the threat of the Dark Acolytes I sense."

Anakin smirked "Well that's some good news."

"Now two there are, a Master and an Apprentice no more no less." Plo said beside him.

"Yet grows the shadow of the dark side ever more…" Master Yoda said looking at the padawans "Rest now you will, speak to your Masters i would know that you have awoken."

Master Kenobi and Skywalker reluctantly agreed "Oh before I leave." Obi-Wan said walking over to Leo, he held up a small cloth pouch and rested it on his lap "This is your Leo, I'm sorry about it."

Leo unfolded the package with wrapped up fingers to see it was the remains of his lightsaber, split in half by Tol Skorr, the crystal was still intact but everything around it was cut to scrap "Guess I'll need to make a new one." Leo said.

"Focus on that till you can move more, Master Yoda?" Obi-Wan told him before he followed the other masters out of the room.

When they were alone Leo looked at his broken lightsaber "Sorry about your lightsaber?"

"I'm not, I'm just glad we all got home." Leo said, smiling at her as she got up and walked over to the window, she rested one hand on her hip looking out the window.

Leo sat up to throw his legs over the bed as he put the lightsaber parts aside "Leo?" She asked.

"Yeah?" He responded by getting up to stand next to her.

She looked over at him standing close to him "When we were escaping, I thought I was going to die. I must have blacked out… then, then I heard your voice."

Leo smiled and nodded bashfully "Yeah we thought… I thought I lost you."

"Guess you were wrong." She said reaching up and pressing her palm on his own, their fingers locked "Guess so…" he said leaning in.

Suddenly the door to their rooms beeped to let them know someone was coming in, the two padawans split a part immediately before they saw Barriss and Selene walk in with Master Sinube too "Ahsoka, Leo you're alright." Barriss said running up and hugging them.

"Sorry to disturb you young ones, but your friends were eager to see you." Sinube said before Captain Rex walked in behind them "Good to see you on your feet Commander."

"Rex, you too." She said as Barriss broke the hug, rejoiced to see they were okay "I want to hear all about it unless you don't want to then that's fine." Barriss said as Leo and Ahsoka looked at one another thinking about what might have been a tinder moment.

_ONE WEEK LATER_

Leo was sitting in the temple medical room, different from the suit wearing fresh green robes with his red hair starting to fill out more from the haircut to a neat comb over. Across from him Ahsoka was wearing fresh clothes as well Anakin and Obi-Wan stood behind her as a medical droid unwrapped the bandages around Leo's face till the last one fell off, "Hmm I think the scar makes you look rather dashing?" Anakin said.

"You would." Obi-Wan said as Leo was handing a mirror, Tol Skorr's final strike had left a scar running across Leo's cheeks and nose just under his eyes. Any higher and he would have surely been blinded.

"Nothing a few sessions in a bacta chamber won't fix, lucky it didn't break your nose." Obi-Wan added the scar had inly cut flesh "No." Leo said drawing his fingers across the scar "I want to keep it." Leo asked as he set his mirror down and stood up.

The Masters looked at Leo puzzled "Very well, have you begun reconstruction on your lightsaber?"

Leo reached into his robe and held up the two pieces still broken "I haven't decided on what it should be, I don't think I want it to be like my older lightsaber could have been useful on Kamino though."

"I'm still bummed we missed out on that battle, I would love to pay Rex, Cody and the other clones back." Ahsoka said to them.

Anakin smirked "I'm sure, almost had Ventress too before she escaped I guess she's the only apprentice Dooku has now." Anakin said.

"Well you'll have plenty of time to decide where we're going." Obi-Wan said.

"Master?" Leo asked.

Anakin and Obi-Wan shared looks knowing something the padawans didn't "What is it?"

"The Council have given Leo and I a special assignment, we'll be heading for the outer rim soon for… some time." Obi-Wan said.

"How long is some time?" Ahsoka asked looking over at Leo who shared the same question as her.

Obi-Wan sighed "Hard to say, but at a minimum over a year maybe more, we won't be seeing much of each other I'm afraid."

Leo looked at the floor knowing this meant he and Ahsoka wouldn't be around, Leo looked over at her and she knew the same thing he was thinking. "We'll be here when you get back." Anakin said, putting his hand on Ahsoka's shoulder.

Obi-Wan was already heading to the door "Gather whatever you have in your room and meet me at the landing pad."

Leo didn't move at first looking at Anakin and Ahsoka "May the force be with you Leo." Ahsoka said "And with you." Leo said before he followed Obi-Wan out of the room.

Later Leo had on a backpack walking next to Obi-wan outside the temple "Master?" Leo asked after they were outside on the landing pad "Before we leave, I was hoping to make a stop at the prison."

"Prison, whatever for?" Obi-Wan asked him to turn around.

Leo reached into his bag and pulled out the book that Vizsla had given him. "It's a book on mandalore, I wanted to give it to the boy Boba Fett."

"Jango's son why… very well." Obi-Wan conceded.

Eventually they arrived at the prison where Leo was walking in and Obi-Wan stayed outside, the clones led Leo to the visitor center which had two way glass windows with desks for people to sit and talk too. When Leo sat down two clones brought out Boba, his head had been shaved and he was wearing a bright orange jumpsuit.

"When they said I had a visitor you were the last person I expected?" Boba said, sitting down "Nice haircut." Boba joked.

"Really?" Leo asked, looking at his bald head.

Leo nodded "I figured, I have something for you."

"I don't want anything from you jedi, you killed my father." Boba spat at him as Leo put the book in a shelf and slid it to the other end of the window for Boba "I'm sorry about your father, I never knew mine but I visited his world Mandalore or at least I think he was a mandalorian since he wore the armor." Leo said as Boba picked up the book.

"This is a book on the ways of the Mandalorian, it was given to me when I visited it. I read it and thought it was pretty good though you might like it." Leo said to him Boba flipped through the pages eagerly reading it "... I don't know what to say." Boba said shutting it.

Leo hardened his glare at him "I think you do, you said you had something to tell me last time I saw you."

Boba's face was blank for a moment. "Oh yeah, Hondo said he wanted me to tell you, guess since you gave me this book it's only fair."

"What is it?" Leo asked him "Ironic really, considering the circumstance you Jedi took my father now I'm givin you yours."

"... what?" Leo asked Boba "Stark." He said.

"Your father's name is Iaco Stark, the man who started the Stark Hyperspace War, heard he cut some kind of deal and joined the commerce guild the same one that created the Separatists and I thought my family was weird." Boba said before he stood up "Thanks for the book Jedi."

Leo sat there in his chair stunned realizing his father was a Separatist.


End file.
